Underscoring the critical role vaccines could play in addressing rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a WHO report has estimated that 44 vaccines targeting 24 pathogens (19 bacteria, 4 viruses, 1 parasite) could prevent over 500,000 deaths from superbugs' infections annually.
This strategy not only promises significant healthcare cost savings but could also reduce the reliance on antibiotics by 2.5 billion doses per year, said the report released recently.
Currently underutilised vaccines, such as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for Streptococcus pneumoniae, alongside those in development for tuberculosis, E. coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, hold potential for future AMR control.
The report emphasises the urgent need to integrate these vaccines into global AMR strategies, as vaccination could drastically reduce infections that necessitate antibiotic use.
The analysis highlights that existing vaccines could prevent up to 106,000 AMR-related deaths and yield substantial economic benefits, while newer vaccines in late-stage development could further avert 135,000 deaths if introduced swiftly. "The best infection is the one that doesn't occur," said Yvan Hutin, MD, PhD, director of surveillance, protection and control for the WHO's AMR Division, said in a statement.The report also outlines the potential impact of early-stage vaccine candidates, which could prevent up to 408,000 deaths and significantly reduce healthcare costs and productivity losses.
