Antimicrobial Resistance: An Overview

Abstract

Antibiotics are one of the greatest discoveries of medical science and have saved millions of lives since their discovery. Antimicrobial resistance is usually of acquired type and is mostly due to mutations in microbes and selection pressure from antibiotic use. Lack of adherence to drug therapies, suboptimal dosing and duration of treatment, ineffective infection control and lack of research on new antibiotics are some of the important factors responsible for development of antimicrobial resistance. Presently antimicrobial resistance is a global problem because of spread of resistant strains across the countries and continents. Economic implications of antimicrobial resistance are huge and enormous money is being spent for treatment various diseases which have become resistant to effective and cheaper older drugs. Here, we describe the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance, its major causes and consequences, and identify critical area which requires urgent action.

Keywords

• antimicrobial resistance
• antibiotic adherence
• rational drug use
• infection