Diseases caused by bacteria are the second leading cause of death in the world, preceded by heart-related diseases, according to a very large study published today, which mentioned that Staphylococcus aureus and pneumococcus are among the most deadly types of bacteria.
The study, which was published in The Lancet, looked at about 30 types of bacteria that are most likely to cause disease, and assessed associated mortality rates.
This study was conducted as part of the Global Burden of Disease programme.
The scope of this large research program, funded by the Bill Gates Foundation, is unprecedented, with thousands of researchers participating from most parts of the world.
The authors of the report concluded that "deaths associated with the types of bacteria studied are the second leading cause of death worldwide," after coronary heart disease, which specifically includes heart attacks.
Of the 30 species of bacteria studied, 5 are responsible for more than half of all deaths (Shutterstock)
5 species are responsible for half of all deaths
Of the 7.7 million deaths related to diseases caused by bacteria, 1 in 8 deaths can be attributed to this cause, although these numbers go back to 2019, before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the 30 species of bacteria studied, 5 of them are responsible for more than half of the deaths, which are Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pneumococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The study indicated that Staphylococcus aureus is the "leading bacterial cause of death in 135 countries".
The pneumococcal virus infection is most deadly in children under the age of five.
The results of the study indicated to the researchers the extent to which diseases caused by infection with bacteria constitute an "urgent priority" in the field of public health.
The researchers called for work to prevent infection, better use of antibiotics to avoid resistance phenomena specifically, in addition to better resort to vaccination.