Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: UK on Alert Amid Global Spread from Malnourished Children in Niger
Health experts have issued an urgent warning over the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, raising concerns that the UK could soon be impacted by the growing crisis.
A major new study has revealed an alarming surge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among children being treated for severe malnutrition in Niger. Researchers say the findings should act as a wake-up call, not only for low-resource countries but for wealthier nations like the UK.
“Due to increased international travel, antibiotic-resistant bacteria can and do reach the UK,” said Professor Owen B Spiller, head of medical microbiology at Cardiff University and co-author of the study.
“What we’re seeing in Niger is a stark reminder of how fast antimicrobial resistance can spread when surveillance projects are under-resourced.”
The study, led by the Ineos Oxford Institute (IOI) in collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières, analysed more than 3,000 rectal swabs from 1,371 malnourished children under five, collected between 2016 and 2017. The findings are deeply troubling.
Over three-quarters of the children were carrying bacteria with extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes, making many frontline antibiotics ineffective.
One in four were found to carry bacteria with carbapenemase genes, which resist even the most powerful, last-resort antibiotics.
More worrying still, most of the children who arrived at the hospital without these drug-resistant bacteria had acquired them by the time they were discharged.
“These are some of the most vulnerable children in the world, and we’re seeing them pick up bacteria that don’t respond to life-saving antibiotics,” said Dr Kirsty Sands, IOI’s scientific lead and lead author of the paper.
While the study focused on just one treatment facility, the researchers believe the situation is not isolated. With increasing global movement and ongoing humanitarian crises, such environments are breeding grounds for resistant infections.
Professor Spiller stressed that antimicrobial surveillance must be a global priority. “AMR surveillance isn’t just about tracking bacteria locally, it’s a global early warning system. Without it, we’re flying blind as these superbugs evolve and cross borders.”
The UK government has acknowledged AMR as a serious threat to public health. A spokesperson said: “Our 10-Year Health Plan recognises antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a major threat and commits to urgently tackle its spread, including through new vaccines.
“We have made important progress, reducing antibiotic use in meat and pioneering a world-first subscription model to incentivise the development of new treatments. We also continue to work closely with international partners to influence global efforts to limit the spread of AMR.”
The spokesperson added that the UK’s AMR National Action Plan (2024–29) includes measures to improve surveillance, predict outbreaks, and reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections both at home and abroad.
Children suffering from malnutrition are especially vulnerable to these infections.
With weakened immune systems, they are at greater risk of contracting illnesses like pneumonia, sepsis, diarrhoea, and tuberculosis, all of which can become life-threatening when antibiotics fail.
According to the International Rescue Committee, around 45 million children under five are currently severely malnourished across the globe.
“In crowded hospitals with limited resources, these bacteria can spread easily from child to child,” said Dr Céline Langendorf, a lab coordinator at MSF. “Without urgent action, more children could die from infections that used to be easy to treat.”
The situation in Niger is being seen as an early red flag. One that highlights how health inequalities, war, and climate change intersect to accelerate the AMR crisis.
Professor Spiller summed up the challenge ahead: “Without coordinated international action, combining antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance, and improved hygiene infrastructure, resistant bacteria will continue to spread unchecked.
We urgently need global investment to safeguard antibiotics for children facing severe malnutrition in resource-limited settings.”
This is not just someone else’s problem. It’s a fast-moving, silent pandemic, and it’s heading our way.
