Elevated instances of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections discovered in Gaza according to investigation
In the midst of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, a significant public health crisis has emerged in Gaza. Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections have reached alarmingly high levels, complicating the treatment of patients due to limited medical supplies and aid.
Causes of the Crisis
The war has severely disrupted medical infrastructure and supply chains, leading to shortages of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which contributes to the development and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Destruction of many laboratories and the loss of medical staff have limited effective diagnosis and containment. Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in Gaza during the conflict facilitate rapid transmission of resistant infections. Injuries from the conflict create wounds that become infected with resistant bacteria.
Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
A peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases assessed approximately 1,300 bacterial specimens from Gaza City’s al-Ahli Hospital over a 10-month period from late 2023 to mid-2024. About two-thirds (66.9%) of samples showed multidrug resistance. Common resistant bacteria were unaffected by antibiotics including amoxicillin–clavulanate, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, and ceftazidime—antibiotics usually employed to treat wound infections and other bacterial illnesses.
Measures to Combat the Spread
Calls for a coordinated response from humanitarian agencies and donors to urgently replenish drug supplies, especially broad-spectrum antibiotics, in Gaza’s hospitals have been made. Strengthening microbiology laboratories to monitor resistance patterns, improving infection control and sanitation measures within healthcare facilities, and addressing the broader humanitarian crisis by restoring infrastructure, providing adequate nutrition, and enabling safe conditions are essential steps to reduce vulnerability to infections.
The situation demands immediate international medical and humanitarian support to prevent further deterioration. The depletion of stockpiles of broad-spectrum antibiotics in Gaza has likely contributed to the rise of multidrug resistance. Attacks on hospitals and the displacement of families sheltering around hospitals can contribute to the transmission of infectious diseases, including multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The U.N. Human Rights Office released a report in December 2024 stating that Israel has established a pattern of deadly attacks on and near hospitals in Gaza.
Notably, the presence of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) was detected in some samples. The international medical community has a duty to act and respond by calling for a ceasefire and helping stabilize laboratories in Gaza. The end of chronic hostilities is necessary, but it will take years, if not decades, to reverse some of the crises and numbers related to multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in Gaza.
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