Each year, antimicrobial resistance is believed to be the cause of 1.1 to 1.4 million deaths globally.
In a recent study, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a rise in antibiotic resistance in over 40% of the antibiotic-pathogen combinations it tracked from 2018 to 2023.
“Antimicrobial resistance is advancing faster than innovations in modern medicine, posing a threat to global family health,” stated WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus regarding the report.
Glyphosate, a prevalent component in numerous weedkillers, is found in approximately 500 products certified by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
For the past four decades, its application has become widespread among both home gardeners and Australian farmers.
New studies now indicate that glyphosate may contribute to antimicrobial resistance in soil bacteria as they adapt to withstand the effects of the herbicide.
A team of microbiologists in Argentina collected 68 bacterial strains from soil collected near Buenos Aires, near farmland where glyphosate is commonly used, with strains found in local hospitals.
The strains were each found to be resistant to between one and 16 of the antibiotics tested.
Crucially, all hospital strains were also found to be highly resistant to glyphosate and glyphosate-based weedkillers.
“This means that if these bacteria enter the environment through untreated wastewater from hospitals, they could go on to thrive in agricultural areas where glyphosate is used,” said one of the study authors, Dr Camila Knecht.
It’s not the first time the impacts of glyphosate have sparked controversy.
It is known to harm arthropods, in particular bees, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified it as a probable human carcinogen.
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