In 2019, before the outbreak of the corona pandemic, they were responsible for one in eight deaths, according to a study published in The Lancet on Tuesday.
In total, the pathogens have been linked to 7.7 million deaths – 13.6 percent of the global total.
Just five bacteria were responsible for half of the deaths: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterial infections were the second leading cause of death after ischemic heart disease, which includes heart attacks.
For the extensive study, scientists examined 33 common bacterial pathogens and eleven types of infection in 204 countries and regions. They are the first global estimates of mortality associated with bacterial pathogens. The study was conducted as part of the Global Burden of Disease project, a research program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation involving thousands of researchers worldwide.
Source: Nachrichten
