Antibiotics are among the most commonly used medicines for treating bacterial infections. But what happens when these medicines can no longer effectively kill the bacteria they are meant to fight? This growing problem, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is becoming a serious challenge for healthcare systems.

A recent study involving researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has highlighted the serious consequences of drug-resistant bacterial infections. According to the research, patients with resistant infections may face a greater risk of death, longer hospital stays and significantly higher treatment expenses compared with those infected by antibiotic-sensitive bacteria.

The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia, analysed data collected between 2022 and 2025 from around 160,000 hospitalised patients.

Four Major Bacteria Under the Spotlight

The researchers examined infections involving four important bacteria: E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

These bacteria can cause serious infections, particularly among hospitalised and vulnerable patients. The study identified 26,213 patients with infections caused by these organisms and assessed differences between drug-resistant and drug-sensitive cases.

Carbapenem Resistance Is a Major Concern

One of the most worrying findings was the high level of carbapenem resistance.

The study reported that 61.1% of the infections were carbapenem-resistant. Carbapenems are powerful antibiotics that are often reserved for treating severe bacterial infections when other medicines may not work.

When bacteria develop resistance to these important drugs, doctors can have fewer effective treatment options available.

This is why antimicrobial resistance is sometimes associated with the term “superbug”—although it refers to resistant bacteria rather than a specific type of infection.

Drug Resistance Can Increase the Risk of Death

The researchers compared mortality among patients with resistant and susceptible infections caused by the same bacteria.

For Klebsiella pneumoniae, the mortality rate was reported at 31.2% among patients with resistant infections, compared with 23.5% among those with susceptible infections.

Similarly, mortality among patients with resistant E. coli infections was 24.4%, compared with 17.3% for susceptible infections.

These figures highlight why antibiotic resistance is not simply a problem of medicines becoming less effective—it can directly affect patient outcomes.

Treatment Can Also Become More Expensive

Drug-resistant infections can put additional financial pressure on patients because they may require more expensive medicines and longer hospitalisation.

The study reported that antibiotic treatment costs for resistant infections were approximately 1.1 to 2 times higher than for susceptible infections.

The average costs reported in the study included:

• E. coli: $420 for resistant infections vs $211 for susceptible infections

• Klebsiella pneumoniae: $587 vs $505

• Acinetobacter baumannii: $655 vs $436

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa: $702 vs $510

Longer hospital stays can add further expenses through additional medicines, hospital beds, diagnostic tests and other medical resources.

Why Are Antibiotics Becoming Less Effective?

Antimicrobial resistance develops when microorganisms change over time and medicines become less effective against them. One major contributor is the inappropriate or unnecessary use of antibiotics.

A common mistake is taking antibiotics without proper medical advice or stopping treatment prematurely after symptoms improve.

Self-medication can also be risky because not every infection requires an antibiotic. Antibiotics work against bacterial infections, not viral illnesses such as most common colds and flu.

ICMR Expert Stresses Prevention and Responsible Use

According to Dr. Kamini Walia, senior scientist at ICMR and an author of the study, antimicrobial resistance is already affecting patients in India rather than being merely a threat for the distant future.

The solution, she emphasised, is not simply to develop increasingly powerful antibiotics. Preventing infections, conducting appropriate testing and using antibiotics responsibly are equally important.

What Can People Do?

Individuals can also play a role in slowing antibiotic resistance.

Avoid taking antibiotics without medical advice, do not use leftover antibiotics for a new illness and do not share prescribed medicines with others. If a doctor prescribes an antibiotic, follow the prescribed instructions and discuss any concerns about the treatment with the doctor rather than changing it independently.

Good hygiene, vaccination where appropriate and infection-prevention practices can also reduce the number of infections that require antibiotic treatment.

The Bigger Warning

Antibiotic resistance is not only a hospital problem. It can affect anyone who develops a bacterial infection that becomes difficult to treat.

The ICMR findings underline an important message: protecting the effectiveness of existing antibiotics is just as important as developing new ones. Responsible antibiotic use today can help ensure that these medicines continue to work when patients need them most.