Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Causes One-Third of Hospital Infections: Study

Dangerous “superbugs” are an emerging worldwide threat, which health experts warn could lead to tens of millions of deaths from infections that are resistant to available antibiotics.

A new study from the U.K. indicates that patients admitted to hospitals are significantly more likely to contract “superbug” infections, which standard antibiotics are not able to effectively treat.

According to findings published in the September 2025 issue of eClinical Medicine, hospital patients who develop antibiotic-resistant infections face nearly a 60% higher risk of dying during their stay.

The findings add to growing concerns about the future of antibiotic resistance, with previous research warning that “superbugs” could kill nearly 40 million people by 2050 unless new treatments are developed. The threat is particularly acute as the U.S. healthcare system cares for a record number of aging baby boomers, whose weakened immune systems make them especially vulnerable to hospital-acquired infections.

Experts largely attribute this rise in antibiotic resistance to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, including unnecessary prescriptions and short treatment courses. Research from Stanford University earlier this year found that even brief antibiotic use can disrupt the human microbiome, creating conditions that allow resistant bacteria to thrive.

As a result, hospitals, where antibiotics are widely prescribed and patients are already immunocompromised, have increasingly become breeding grounds for infections that no longer respond to conventional treatments.

In this new report, researchers from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom conducted a review of 34 studies from 18 countries, including the U.S., China, the U.K., Canada, Israel, Japan and others. Led by Dr. Nisha A. George, the team reviewed data for nearly 21,000 patients.

According to the findings, one-third of hospital patients developed infections that were resistant to antibiotics. The data showed the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in hospitals, and indicated that infected patients faced an increased risk of dying while in the hospital.

Patients with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections had a 58% higher risk of death compared to patients who were not infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Patients with bloodstream infections faced the highest risk of death. 

Researchers said the findings also highlight gaps in evidence, especially among under-represented regions like Africa and the Middle East. Those areas have few studies examining deaths linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital settings. Researchers also said more studies and surveillance are needed in these regions to help close the knowledge gap.

Emerging Threat of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are emerging as a critical threat both inside and outside healthcare facilities. Recent research suggests that even the growing use of painkillers may contribute to resistance, raising concerns since patients are often prescribed painkillers alongside antibiotics to treat infections.

Nursing homes have become a particular hotspot. Studies show that just 20% of nursing facilities account for half of all superbug infections in long-term care, with staffing levels playing a decisive role. Homes with more registered nurses report fewer outbreaks, while understaffed facilities struggle to contain the spread.

A National Institutes of Health study also found resistant bacteria commonly present on the skin of nursing home residents, which acts as a reservoir for transmission and increases the risk of serious infection.

Amid these mounting warnings, the United Nations has called antibiotic-resistant superbugs a grave threat to global health, urging nations to take stronger action to curb their spread and invest in new treatments.

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