Story perspectives

Global Child Antibiotic Resistance Hits 82% Forecast by 2035

7/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and partners reported child antibiotic resistance rose from 2004 to 2022, using 106,581 samples from children in 82 countries.
Resistance grew fastest against WHO “Watch” and “Reserve” drugs, especially Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella, with forecasts projecting rates of 82 % and 35 % by 2035.
Babies, intensive-care children and low-income nations face the highest risk, with about 840,000 under-five deaths linked to AMR in 2021.

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Story summary

The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and partners reported child antibiotic resistance rose from 2004 to 2022, using 106,581 samples from children in 82 countries.
Resistance grew fastest against WHO “Watch” and “Reserve” drugs, especially Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella, with forecasts projecting rates of 82 % and 35 % by 2035.
Babies, intensive-care children and low-income nations face the highest risk, with about 840,000 under-five deaths linked to AMR in 2021.