Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria change in ways that make antibiotics less effective. As a result, infections that were once easily treated can become harder or impossible to cure. This is not a rare problem. AMR is affecting
some of the most common infections seen in hospitals and communities, such as pneumonia, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections (MRSA), and gonorrhoea. When infections become resistant, they last longer, are more
difficult to treat, and in some cases, treatment options are limited, leading to patients dying in hospitals.
Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of hospitalisation and death worldwide. Those most vulnerable are children and adults over the age of 65. Drug-resistant strains of bacteria that cause pneumonia are increasing in some regions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2019 and 2023, there was a 460% increase in drug-resistant bacteria, specifically in New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase Carbapenem-resistant enterobacterales (NDM-CRE). NDMCRE is a group of bacteria that produces an enzyme that breaks down antibiotics like carbapenem, a powerful antibiotic used for serious infections. NDM-CRE infections limit treatment options for patients and place them at risk of dying. According to GlobalData, the diagnosed incidence of MRSA infections is expected to increase from approximately 92 cases per 100,000 population in 2025 to 98 cases per 100,000 population by 2033 in the seven major markets (7MM: US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan). The majority of diagnosed incident cases of MRSA occurred in individuals aged 65 years and older. A significant number of cases in this age group for pneumonia and MRSA means patients are more likely to be hospitalised, and have comorbidities and complications that increase the severity of the disease and mortality.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Access deeper industry intelligence
Experience unmatched clarity with a single platform that combines unique data, AI, and human expertise.
Gonorrhea is one of the most frequently reported sexually transmitted infections worldwide. GlobalData estimated the diagnosed incidence rate at 64 cases per 100,000 population in 2025 and expects it to increase to approximately 67 cases
per 100,000 population by 2033 in the 16MM (7MM, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and South Korea). Since gonorrhoea is so common, especially among adolescents and young adults, even a small increase in
antimicrobial resistance can affect large numbers of people. The World Health Organization estimates that between 2022 and 2024, resistance to ceftriaxone and cefixime, the main antibiotics used to treat gonorrhea, rose from 0.8% to 5% and from 1.7% to 11%, respectively. The rapid spread of gonorrhoea through sexual networks can allow resistant strains to spread quickly within communities, cross borders through travel, and circulate in populations with high transmission rates. Surveillance is critical to curbing the spread of this infection and monitoring the spread of resistant strains.
AMR is reshaping the epidemiology of common infections like pneumonia, MRSA infections, and gonorrhoea by changing how easily infections spread and how severe outcomes can be. When AMR increases, it is not only about resistance to antibiotics. It is about a rise in the total number of infections that remain in the population uncured, potentially causing an increase in the incidence of the disease. This makes surveillance systems essential to monitor and track outbreaks. By applying core epidemiologic methods such as measuring the frequency of disease and identifying high-risk populations, we can better protect communities from AMR.
