Climate change and resilience for antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention

Abstract

Purpose of review This review covers recent research regarding the challenges posed by climate change within the areas of antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention, and ways to build resiliency in these fields. Recent findings Infectious disease patterns are changing as microbes adapt to climate change and changing environmental factors. Capacity for testing and treating infectious diseases is challenged by newly emerging diseases, which exacerbate challenges to antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention. Antimicrobial resistance is accelerated due to environmental factors including air pollution, plastic pollution, and chemicals used in food systems, which are all impacted by climate change. Climate change places infection prevention practices at risk in many ways including from major weather events, increased risk of epidemics, and societal disruptions causing conditions that can overwhelm health systems. Researchers are building resilience by advancing rapid diagnostics and disease modeling, and identifying highly reliable versus low efficiency interventions. Summary Climate change and associated major weather and socioeconomic events will place significant strain on healthcare facilities. Work being done to advance rapid diagnostics, build supply chain resilience, improve predictive disease modeling and surveillance, and identify high reliability versus low yield interventions will help build resiliency in antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention for escalating challenges due to climate change.