Based on common IELTS Reading passages concerning this theme, here are crucial answers and terminology:
To achieve a high band score, candidates must demonstrate familiarity with advanced academic lexicon. The table below highlights key vocabulary extracted from the text, complete with contextual definitions to aid in comprehension and active retention. Vocabulary Term Part of Speech Contextual Definition
Cancer currently causes more deaths globally than antibiotic-resistant infections. Based on common IELTS Reading passages concerning this
Educational campaigns play a crucial role in mitigating antibiotic resistance. WHO’s World Antibiotic Awareness Week emphasises the necessity of sustainable antibiotic practices and the risks associated with misuse. National programmes have shown some success: in England, NHS primary care antibiotic use decreased between 2019 and 2024. However, this progress is offset by a troubling rise in private prescribing, with 22% of antibiotics in 2024 dispensed through the private sector.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines, making common infections harder to treat. Each year, an estimated 700,000 people die globally from drug-resistant infections. Without urgent action, this number could reach 10 million annually by 2050, exceeding deaths from cancer. Educational campaigns play a crucial role in mitigating
Combating this global threat requires a multi-faceted, coordinated international response. Public health organizations emphasize a "One Health" approach, recognizing that human, animal, and environmental health are intrinsically linked.
The text recommends that individuals use antibiotics responsibly, get vaccinated, and practice good hygiene. However, this progress is offset by a troubling
Compounding the threat is the stagnation in the development of new antibiotics. The "discovery void" refers to the period since the late 1980s during which no new classes of antibiotics have been found. Pharmaceutical companies face significant economic disincentives in this field. Unlike drugs for chronic conditions that patients take for life, antibiotics are used for short durations, and bacteria eventually develop resistance to them, rendering the drug obsolete. Consequently, the return on investment for antibiotic research and development is low compared to other therapeutic areas.
The evidence of escalating harm is unambiguous. In England, for example, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported that the total number of antibiotic-resistant infections in 2024 equated to an average of nearly . Cases of bacteraemia caused by antibiotic resistance—a life-threatening bloodstream infection—increased by 9.3% from 2023 to 2024, rising from 18,740 to 20,484 cases. The estimated number of deaths in people with a resistant infection also rose sharply, from 2,041 deaths in 2023 to 2,379 deaths in 2024—an increase of 338 deaths in a single year.
This passage explores the cyclical nature of resistance transmission, the role of livestock, and potential solutions at policy and individual levels. The text addresses how resistant bacteria spread from infected individuals to hospitals to local communities, as well as through the food chain via livestock and manure-fertilised crops.
The economic burden is equally devastating. Treating resistant infections requires prolonged hospital stays, more complex and expensive second- and third-line drugs, and intensive monitoring. This strains healthcare budgets and reduces workplace productivity, potentially costing the global economy trillions of dollars in lost output. The Pipeline Paradox