What is antimicrobial resistance and why do we need to take action against it?
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Antimicrobial drugs are commonly used. We have all heard of antibiotics, which fight bacteria, but there are also antifungals, antivirals and antiparasitics that fight fungi, viruses and parasites, respectively.
The more we use these drugs, the less effective they become and this problem is known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It means that microbes have developed resistance to our commonly used medications, meaning these medicines do not always work to treat infections.
What’s the problem?
The more we use antimicrobial medicines, the less effective they become against their target organisms, and the less they work at making us better when we need them.
Inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobials – including antibiotics such as penicillin – allows the target bacteria to develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Examples of inappropriate use include taking antibiotics for colds, sore throats, coughs and so on that are viral in origin, so cannot be treated by antibiotics.
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