War-Driven Surge of Superbugs Across Europe

Figures include Danylo Turkevych (head of surgery, Superhumans Center, Lviv), Olena Moshynets (microbiologist, Institute of Molecular Biology, Kyiv), Richard Sullivan (co-director, Conflict & Health Research, King’s College London) and University of Helsinki–HUS team that conducted the MDR prevalence study; Center of Public Health, Ministry of Health of Ukraine, has not responded.

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The Helsinki-HUS study found 8 % of Ukrainian refugees hospitalized for war injuries carried MDR bacteria, and about 80 % of those patients were colonized. The Lancet reported 1.14 million deaths worldwide from antimicrobial resistance in 2021 and forecasts more than 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050. *Klebsiella pneumoniae*, linked to 100,000 deaths annually, now frequently appears in transferred patients, raising fears of a continent-wide AMR spread.

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At the Superhumans Center, patients wait in corridors while a screen shows scenes. Overuse of negative-pressure wound therapy has fostered bacterial growth, prompting delayed amputations; Turkevych says amputation may be the only option for uncontrolled MDR infections. Staffing is strained, with one nurse per 30 beds.

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The Helsinki-HUS team urges targeted MDR screening and strict contact precautions for transferred patients. Sullivan warns that without government-mandated reporting, the crisis will worsen.

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Experts criticize the lack of AMR surveillance in Europe and insufficient infection-control funding in Ukraine. Sullivan notes that without mandated reporting the problem may become a crisis.

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• “I may be a fatalist but I think we are already in the post-antibiotic era, because it’s not only a Ukrainian problem, it’s a problem in the whole world,” — Danylo Turkevych, Head of Surgery, Lviv

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• “We strongly recommend targeted MDR screening and strict contact precautions for patients hospitalised in conflict zones,” — University of Helsinki & HUS study

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• “The problem is there’s so many other things going on that until we have a massive crisis, it’s very hard to do something about this.” — Richard Sullivan, Co-director, King’s College London

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• “We may have one nurse for each 30 beds. It’s impossible to keep on top of infection prevention and control, it doesn’t matter how great the nurse is.” — Olena Moshynets, Microbiologist, Kyiv

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The Ukrainian health ministry says drug supplies are fully funded, but doctors report antibiotic shortages and reduced salaries. The Center of Public Health, Ministry of Health of Ukraine, has not responded to requests for data, leaving a gap in AMR reporting.

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Experts call for mandatory AMR reporting, cross-border screening, and increased funding for infection-prevention staffing and antibiotics in Ukraine. Strengthened surveillance networks and rapid data sharing are essential to curb the spread of MDR superbugs across Europe.

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