Europe faces a growing public health threat due to the spread of antibiotic-resistant «superbacteria» emerging from Ukraine, warned Henry Skinner, CEO of the AMR Action Fund, an organization investing in antimicrobial drug development. He outlined the alarming situation in an article for Innovation News Network.

According to Skinner, since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, antibiotic-resistant infections have increasingly affected both wounded soldiers and civilians. He noted that the crisis continues to worsen over time, citing recent scientific findings from Sumy State University.

Researchers there discovered that 85% of infections among wounded Ukrainian servicemen were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Among the most dangerous pathogens identified is Acinetobacter baumannii, a bacterium recognized by the World Health Organization as a critical global threat. The study also reported a widespread presence of a hypervirulent, pan-resistant strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, which poses an additional lethal risk.

Skinner warned that the spread of these pathogens beyond Ukraine could have severe consequences for Europe’s healthcare systems. He stressed that investing in antibiotic innovation is not only a health priority but also a strategic necessity to strengthen Europe’s resilience.

He emphasized that developing effective treatments against these superbugs will require billions in funding and decades of research, adding that time may already be running out as new cases multiply daily, both on the battlefield and across borders.