It is predicted that by 2050, antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria will cause more deaths than cancer. Approximately 700 000 deaths are caused globally by antimicrobial resistance each year. The spread of resistant bacteria is a driving force in the worsening crisis. Despite the urgent need for action, we know very little about what factors besides antibiotic use affect the carriage of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in healthy adults and whether their carriage translates to elevated risks. The Finnish dataset of over 7000 individuals metagenome-sequenced for the FINRISK study enables determining what health, lifestyle, and socio-economic parameters are associated with ARG loads in the gut microbiome of healthy adults. We will also determine an association between high ARG loads and an increased risk of morbidity and mortality throughout the nearly 20-year follow-up period. The results can help in targeting actions to suppress the worsening of the resistance crisis.

2022

2025