Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) is when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to medicines. World Health Organisation (WHO), estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths in the same year.

Overprescription of drugs is one of the leading causes behind this. Now, researchers have discovered that diabetics have a higher risk of developing AMR than normal people.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine discovered that diabetic mice with Staphylococcus aureus skin infections develop antibiotic resistance much faster than non-diabetic mice. Led by microbiologists Brian Conlon, PhD, and Lance Thurlow, PhD, the study found that high blood sugar levels create an environment where resistant mutations thrive. However, controlling blood sugar with insulin significantly reduced antibiotic resistance.

"We found that antibiotic resistance emerges much more rapidly in diabetic models than in non-diabetic ones. This could be a key factor in the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance," he said.

The study, published in Science Advances, highlights how diabetes weakens the immune system, allowing bacteria like S. aureus to multiply unchecked. Staph bacteria use glucose as fuel, and diabetes provides an abundance of it. As the infection grows, random mutations occur, some of which become resistant to antibiotics. Without a strong immune response to eliminate these resistant strains, they quickly take over.

Here's How The Study Was Conducted