Antimicrobial Resistance

More than 2 million infections per year are caused by antimicrobial resistant organisms in the United States alone. Without preventative actions, antimicrobial resistant infections will become the leading cause of death worldwide in 2050, outpacing death caused by all cancers.

WHO - Unite to Prevent Drug Resistance. Drug resistance has made infections harder to treat. Good hygiene can help stop its spread. Handle antimicrobials with care - Antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitics.

Definitions

Antimicrobials

Antimicrobials are drugs that treat infections caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. Antimicrobials have played a major role in the advancement of medicine and have extended the human lifespan.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are drugs that only treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics kill bacteria by altering normal bacterial cell processes. Bacteria have the capability to become resistant to all available antibiotics.


Learn More about Antimicrobial Resistance

The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi cells. These cells can live on the skin or in the gut. Microorganisms provide a necessary function for human survival.

As the bacteria replicate they can undergo mutations. Sometimes, these mutations help them fight off antibiotics that would normally be effective.  Antimicrobial use has contributed to the development of mutations causing resistance.

The resistant organisms proliferate overtime, becoming the predominant organism type. Sometimes, the resistant organisms pass along the instructions to other organisms, causing more widespread resistance.

Resources

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