Surface contamination linked to 1.27 million AMR deaths - experts warn of hidden threat

Hydrachem calls for urgent attention to contaminated surfaces as WHO's World AMR Awareness Week begins

BILLINGSHURST, England, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains one of the greatest global health threats of our time. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic-resistant infections are directly responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths globally every year, and data from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project forecasts 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050 if decisive action isn't taken.

As governments focus on reducing antibiotic misuse, Hydrachem, a leader in surface disinfection and water purification for over 50 years, is highlighting the critical role contaminated surfaces play in enabling the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections.

Superbugs such as MRSA, C. difficile and drug-resistant E. coli can remain active for days – even months – on surfaces, fuelling outbreaks and reinfection despite strong clinical protocols. Hydrachem warns that without robust environmental hygiene, healthcare systems risk losing ground in the battle against AMR.

Nicolas Barbieri, Chief Commercial Officer at Hydrachem, commented:

"The fight against AMR is a fight to break the chain of infection. If we sterilise the environment effectively, we eliminate the places where these pathogens hide, preventing their transmission to vulnerable patients. Preventing reinfection starts with consistent, evidence-based disinfection that stops pathogens in their tracks."

As healthcare services face winter pressures and rising cases of drug-resistant infections, Hydrachem is urging national and healthcare leaders to take a wider view of infection control, recognising environmental hygiene as an important AMR prevention strategy.

Hydrachem's expertise extends across 60 countries, supplying disinfection solutions trusted by hospitals, humanitarian organisations and the NHS. The company's BIOSPOT surface disinfection system represents a new generation of infection control technology, designed to eliminate multiple germs, including C. difficile spores and MRSA, on surfaces frequently linked to cross-contamination.

"Surface disinfection isn't glamorous, but it is fundamental and the unsung hero of infection control," Nicolas Barbieri emphasised. "It's not enough to have the right antibiotics if we're constantly reintroducing patients to pathogens we're trying to eliminate. Every surface we properly disinfect is one less opportunity for resistant bacteria to spread – it's about creating an environment where antibiotics can actually work."

Nicolas Barbieri concluded:

"Healthcare facilities need to ask themselves if they are doing everything possible to break the chain of infection. With what we know about AMR, doing everything means looking beyond issuing prescriptions to the surfaces that surround patients every single day."

The call from Hydrachem comes as World AMR Awareness Week (18–24 November) begins, during which the WHO has called for coordinated action to 'Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future.'

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Notes to Editor:

• About World AMR Awareness Week: World AMR Awareness Week (18–24 November) is an annual global campaign led by the World Health Organization to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote best practices. The 2025 theme is "Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future."
• Hydrachem, established in 1973, is a UK-based world leader in effervescent chlorine (NaDCC) tablets with expertise in water purification, surface disinfection and sterilisation. Operating in over 60 countries, the company partners with NGOs, governments and leading healthcare institutions, including the NHS, to combat waterborne diseases, maintain hygienic environments and produce over 10 billion litres of safe drinking water each year.
• Hydrachem supplies sectors including healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, food preparation and agriculture.
• Alongside its own brands, which include Oasis Water Purification Tablets, Oasis Sterilising Tablets, BIOSPOT and Cert Multi Surface Spray, Hydrachem contract manufactures for some of the world's most prominent companies, with products renowned for quality, reliability and technical excellence.
• More information about Hydrachem can be found by visiting https://hydrachem.com/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hydrachemuk
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hydrachem-ltd/

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