Climate Change Fuels Rise in Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella, Global Study Shows

An international team of researchers from the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Switzerland, China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Cambridge analyzed more than 480,000 Salmonella genomes collected in 139 countries between 1940 and 2023. Published in *The Lancet Planetary Health* on 26 May 2026, the study links rising temperatures and altered precipitation to a 10 percent global increase in antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in Salmonella. Overall ARG abundance grew 38 percent, and 82 percent of the countries examined recorded upward trends. The strongest climate-associated surges occurred in the Middle East and North Africa, followed by South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Straits Times

• Sample: >480,000 genomes from 139 nations (1940-2023).

The Guardian

• Climate-linked rise: 10 % of global ARG increase; overall 38 % growth.

The Straits Times

• Projection: Low-emission pathways could cut 2100 ARG levels by ~24 % vs high-emission scenarios.

The Straits Times

Salmonella causes tens of millions of diarrhoeal infections annually; resistant strains complicate treatment and contribute to >1 million deaths each year, and climate-driven amplification may raise the frequency of hard-to-treat cases, especially among vulnerable groups.

Climate Change Drives Rise in Antibiotic-Resistant Food Poisoning Bacteria... What Did Researchers Identify as the Cause?

The authors urge immediate integration of climate-change mitigation with antimicrobial-stewardship. They call for policies aligned with the Paris Agreement, adoption of low-emission trajectories, and expansion of One Health surveillance that tracks resistance across human, animal and environmental reservoirs. Strengthened regulation of antibiotic use is presented as essential to curb future resistance burdens.

The Guardian

The analysis demonstrates a robust statistical association but does not establish direct causation between climate variables and resistance evolution. Researchers note that misuse and overuse of antibiotics remain the primary driver of rising ARGs. Reliance on historical genomic data limits insight into current transmission dynamics, prompting calls for interdisciplinary studies to separate climate effects from other ecological factors.

The Guardian

• “The accumulated evidence suggests that climate change is an accelerating force behind the global spread of antimicrobial resistance,” — Study authors

The Guardian

• “Our findings provide supporting evidence that rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns non-linearly amplify the abundance and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes in bacterial pathogens such as salmonella.” — Study authors

The Guardian

• “To curb the spread of antibiotic resistance, climate change mitigation policies and strengthened antibiotic management systems must be pursued together.” — Study authors

Climate Change Drives Rise in Antibiotic-Resistant Food Poisoning Bacteria... What Did Researchers Identify as the Cause?

• “These findings highlight the importance of mitigating climate change as a strategic intervention to curb the spread of ARGs and ultimately to combat the global challenge of antibiotic resistance,” — Study authors

The Straits Times

The authors project continued ARG growth through 2100 unless low-emission climate targets are met and antimicrobial-stewardship programs are reinforced. They advocate coordinated international monitoring, expanded One Health frameworks, and policy alignment with the Paris Agreement to mitigate the dual threats of climate change and antibiotic resistance.

The Straits Times