For subscribers
Women have a lot on their Petri dish
A new World Health Organisation survey suggests that they are more exposed than men to superbugs.
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Women make up about 70 per cent of healthcare workers globally, making superbugs an occupational hazard.
PHOTO: AFP
Anjana Ahuja
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when pathogens – micro-organisms that cause disease, like viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites – stop responding to medicines. The World Bank estimates AMR could add US$1 trillion (S$1.35 trillion) to healthcare costs by 2050.
Now, a survey by the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that women could be more exposed than men to such superbugs, thanks to a complex mix of biological, social, cultural and economic factors. It is unclear yet whether that leads to more disease among women, but the WHO is urging countries to pass on information on sex and gender in their monitoring of drug-resistant infections.
