A collage featuring several images of various animal species, with a woman (Susanna Sternberg Lewerin, SLU) in the center.
Photo: Lisa Chröisty, SLU

Circle of life - all together through the silent pandemic

News published:  20/03/2026

An era comes to an end as more bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics and the certainty that we can cure diseases slowly fades. The “silent pandemic” is sweeping the globe, and the solution now depends on us rethinking our approach together—for the sake of people, animals, and nature as one.

What happens if antibiotics don’t work the next time you or your animal gets sick?

For nearly 100 years, we’ve been able to treat bacterial infections with antibiotics. This has saved millions of lives—and made advanced medical care possible.

But now the situation is changing. More and more bacteria are developing resistance to our medicines. What has long been a standard treatment no longer always works.

Researchers call it antibiotic resistance—and sometimes the silent pandemic.

A pandemic that goes unnoticed until the medicine we need at that very moment stops working. What we need to do together now is buy ourselves some time - and understand the changes that are taking place, says Susanna Sternberg Lewerin.

“If it doesn’t help, it causes harm”

When I was training to become a veterinarian, we had the attitude that if antibiotics don’t help, at least they don’t cause any harm, says Susanna Sternberg Lewerin, continuing:
But today we know that’s just so very wrong.
Photo of a black Labrador sitting in an outdoor dog run.
Infectious disease control and access to treatment in the event of illness are issues that concern all living beings—regardless of species. Photo: Lisa Chröisty, SLU

“Unnecessary” antibiotic treatment refers to prescribing the medication when there is still uncertainty about whether:

  1. The infection is actually caused by bacteria, and can therefore be cured with antibiotics
  2. Whether treatment is really necessary, or if the body can fight off the infection on its own
… And now that we know we only have a limited supply of effective antibiotics left, it’s madness to waste them where they aren’t really needed, she continues.
More than for the sake of curing illnesses
Antibiotics are not only invaluable in treating serious bacterial infections; they are also used to facilitate complex transplants, surgeries, and cancer treatments.

One Health Around the World: Tolerance, Trust, and Togetherness

Since the need to treat diseases applies to both humans and animals, everywhere in the world we all live in, we now need to approach this new reality in a way that takes into account all living things and how they affect one another: We call this approach “One Health.”

One Health

= Combining knowledge from human, animal, plant, and environmental health to develop effective interventions. This perspective is based on the understanding that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the surrounding environment (including ecosystems) is closely interconnected and mutually dependent.

You can read more about One Health here

What is needed can be summed up in three T:s.

  1. Tolerance: To be patient when doctors or veterinarians need time to make a diagnosis. This reduces the risk of unnecessary antibiotic use and ensures that antibiotics are prescribed only when truly needed. Symptoms do not always correspond to the cause of the illness, which is why testing is important. This allows us to reserve effective antibiotics for serious and urgent cases.
  2. Trust that the necessary treatment will be provided. Sometimes the best course of action is to let the body heal on its own, rather than risk using medication that might do more harm than good.
  3. Understand that we (humans, animals, and nature) are all connected Together
In practical terms, the new approach is to focus on preventing diseases from occurring in the first place, rather than on ways to treat them. I’m going to share some straightforward tips on how we can do that, says Susanna Sternberg Lewerin.
Photo of a lake near a lush forest in Sweden.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria occur naturally in the environment, but their numbers are also increasing due to residues from animals and humans treated with antibiotics, as these are not always completely broken down in the body. Do not throw away leftover medications from yourself or your pets in the trash or down the drain—always return them to a pharmacy. Photo: Lisa Chröisty, SLU

Navigating the Silent Pandemic: What can You, I, and We do?

Quite a lot, actually, and it starts with the very basics, says Susanna Sternberg Lewerin, listing:

Prevent the spread of infection whenever possible by:

  1. Wash your hands
  2. Sneeze into your elbow
  3. Keep your distance from others if you have an infection
  4. Don’t let your animal come into contact with other animals if it is coughing, has a runny nose, or has diarrhea
    Are you or your pet being treated with medication?
  5. Then be sure to return any unused medications to a pharmacy. There, they can be disposed of properly, without the risk of ending up in the waste or water systems—and ultimately in the environment

Vaccines are also an increasingly important tool for preventing disease outbreaks. Until now, vaccines have primarily been developed to protect against viruses, but they can also be developed to combat diseases caused by bacteria—an area where we have previously relied on antibiotics. 

By doing our best to prevent outbreaks of disease, we’re buying humanity time to save the remaining antibiotics for the most serious cases, find more possible ways forward, and who knows—maybe, against all odds, even succeed in developing new, effective forms of medication like antibiotics, Susanna concludes
Portrait of a woman (Susanna Sternberg Lewerin, SLU) indoors.
Susanna Sternberg Lewerin is a veterinarian, and since 2026 has also served as a professor of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with a focus on One Health. Photo: Lisa Chröisty, SLU

Yes! For example certain wound infections, sepsis (blood poisoning), and tuberculosis. We’ve become so accustomed to the idea that these conditions can be treated, but in reality, that’s not always the case.

It is possible, but it is both very expensive and, these days, very difficult: The challenge is to develop substances that effectively kill infections without harming the host organisms (the people or animals receiving the treatment)—and we have already exhausted the solutions that were previously discovered.

The environment (the soil, water, and everything that grows there—what we might also call “nature”) is the habitat for all living beings: humans, domestic animals, and wild animals alike. Furthermore, some infectious diseases spread through both soil and water. In summary: A clean environment and healthy plants also create the conditions for healthy people and animals.

A collage featuring several images of various animal species, with a woman (Susanna Sternberg Lewerin, SLU) in the center.
A continuous work for all living beings, together. Photos: Lisa Chröisty, SLU

Fact Box

Susanna Sternberg Lewerin is a veterinarian by training, and since 2026 has also served as a professor of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with a focus on One Health. You can find out more about her and her ongoing research below.

Profile page for Susanna Sternberg Lewerin

Definitions:

Medicines = All medications we use to treat and cure diseases

Vaccines = Preventive; they can be developed against both viruses and bacteria, but in the past they have been developed more for viruses, as people tend to assume that “we have antibiotics for bacteria”

Antimicrobials (usually antibiotics) = Specifically treat bacteria

One Health: An approach and perspective aimed at sustainably balancing and optimizing the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. This is achieved through an understanding that these three areas are closely interconnected—where diseases can spread between animals and humans and are influenced by the environment.

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