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. 2026 Dec;19(1):2646042.
doi: 10.1080/16549716.2026.2646042. Epub 2026 Mar 18.

Antibiotic overuse as a modifiable early-life risk factor for non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa

Affiliations

Antibiotic overuse as a modifiable early-life risk factor for non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa

Michelle Leal et al. Glob Health Action. 2026 Dec.

Abstract

Early-life antibiotic overuse is a public health concern. In low- and middle-income countries, consumption has surged by 76% since 2000. This trend is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where antimicrobial resistance contributes to 255,000 deaths annually and infant antibiotic exposure is widespread in the first two years of life. While a substantial body of research associates antibiotic-induced microbiome disruption with metabolic and immune dysregulation, with large cohorts reporting ~20% higher odds of childhood obesity and asthma, these observational findings do not establish causality and derive largely from high-income settings. This potential pathway remains a policy blind spot within most non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention frameworks. By synthesising biological, epidemiological and implementation evidence, this paper considers early-life antibiotic exposure as a potentially modifiable determinant of lifelong health and outlines a pragmatic research and policy agenda to integrate antibiotic-aware prevention into NCD prevention efforts and routine child health platforms in resource-limited SSA settings.

Keywords: Gut microbiota; antimicrobial stewardship; developmental origins; health policy; life-course epidemiology.

Plain language summary

Main findings: Pervasive early-life antibiotic use, driven by rising consumption in LMICs and limited stewardship in sub-Saharan Africa, represents a significant and underappreciated driver of non-communicable disease risk.Added knowledge: This paper bridges the policy gap between strategies to contain antimicrobial resistance and strategies to prevent chronic non-infectious diseases, by synthesising mechanistic, epidemiological and implementation evidence to reframe early-life antibiotic exposure as a primary, modifiable determinant of lifelong health.Global health impact for policy and action: Health systems can address the dual burden of antimicrobial resistance and chronic non-infectious diseases by integrating antibiotic-aware risk profiling into routine child health, using existing platforms to track exposure and deliver targeted preventive interventions in high-burden settings.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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