The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Verified < HD 2026 >

for practice based on that text.

An account of how preventative farming practices introduce resistant microbes into the human diet.

Answer: At least 700,000.

This article explores the multi-faceted nature of the antibiotic resistance crisis, structured to mirror the thematic depth and linguistic complexity found in high-band IELTS Reading passages. Section 1: The Dawn and Decline of the Miracle Drugs

Paragraph C explains that people use antibiotics incorrectly to self-medicate for "viral illnesses, such as influenza or the common cold." 9. prematurely for practice based on that text

Explanation: Paragraph E discusses consumers expecting antibiotics for viral illnesses, tracking prescription increases (6 million to 13 million for sinusitis), and routine antibiotic use in hospitals. These are all examples of misuse and overuse.

The consequences of failing to act are catastrophic. If current trends continue, common infections and minor injuries—which have been treatable for decades—could once again become fatal [1]. This article explores the multi-faceted nature of the

Vaccination also represents a critical strategy. New vaccines could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from antimicrobial resistance each year, and the WHO has called for increased vaccination against drug-resistant pathogens.

Look for causes of resistance in the first half and consequences in the second. These are all examples of misuse and overuse

The primary catalyst behind the acceleration of AMR is the pervasive misuse and over-prescribing of antibiotic medications. Globally, millions of patients demand antibacterial drugs for viral illnesses like influenza or the common cold, conditions against which these medications have absolutely zero therapeutic effect. In many developing nations, the problem is compounded by lax regulatory frameworks, allowing powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics to be purchased over the counter without a qualified medical prescription. This unregulated access ensures that bacterial populations are constantly exposed to sub-lethal doses of drugs, creating the perfect evolutionary pressure cooker for generating "superbugs"—bacterial strains resistant to multiple classes of antibiotics. Paragraph D

The statistics are sobering. More than 40% of E. coli and over 55% of K. pneumoniae globally are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, which are the first-choice treatment for these infections. In the African Region, resistance to these drugs exceeds 70%. Carbapenem resistance—once rare and considered a last-resort antibiotic—is becoming more frequent, narrowing treatment options and forcing reliance on increasingly limited alternatives.