Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is
the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication previously
used to treat them. This broader term also covers antibiotic resistance,
which applies to bacteria and antibiotics. Resistance arises through
one of three ways: natural resistance in certain types of bacteria,
genetic mutation, or by one species acquiring resistance from another.
Resistance can appear spontaneously because of
random mutations; or more commonly following gradual buildup over
time, and because of misuse of antibiotics or antimicrobials. Resistant
microbes are increasingly difficult to treat, requiring alternative
medications or higher doses, both of which may be more expensive
or more toxic.
Microbes resistant to multiple antimicrobials are
called multidrug resistant (MDR); or sometimes superbugs. Antimicrobial
resistance is on the rise with millions of deaths every year. All
classes of microbes develop resistance: fungi develop antifungal
resistance, viruses develop antiviral resistance, protozoa develop
antiprotozoal resistance, and bacteria develop antibiotic resistance.
Source
Key facts
- Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global
health, food security, and development today.
- Antibiotic resistance can affect anyone, of any age, in any
country.
- Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics
in humans and animals is accelerating the process.
- A growing number of infections – such as pneumonia, tuberculosis,
and gonorrhoea – are becoming harder to treat as the antibiotics
used to treat them become less effective.
- Antibiotic resistance leads to longer hospital stays, higher
medical costs and increased mortality.
Introduction
Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial
infections. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in
response to the use of these medicines.
Bacteria, not humans or animals, become antibiotic-resistant.
These bacteria may infect humans and animals, and the infections
they cause are harder to treat than those caused by non-resistant
bacteria.
Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs,
prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality.
The world urgently needs to change the way it prescribes
and uses antibiotics. Even if new medicines are developed, without
behaviour change, antibiotic resistance will remain a major threat.
Behaviour changes must also include actions to reduce the spread
of infections through vaccination, hand washing, practising safer
sex, and good food hygiene.
Scope of the problem
Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously
high levels in all parts of the world. New resistance mechanisms
are emerging and spreading globally, threatening our ability to
treat common infectious diseases. A growing list of infections –
such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, blood poisoning and gonorrhoea
– are becoming harder, and sometimes impossible, to treat as antibiotics
become less effective.
Where antibiotics can be bought for human or animal
use without a prescription, the emergence and spread of resistance
is made worse. Similarly, in countries without standard treatment
guidelines, antibiotics are often over-prescribed by health workers
and veterinarians and over-used by the public.
Without urgent action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic
era, in which common infections and minor injuries can once again
kill.
Prevention and control
Antibiotic resistance is accelerated by the misuse
and overuse of antibiotics, as well as poor infection prevention
and control. Steps can be taken at all levels of society to reduce
the impact and limit the spread of resistance.
Individuals
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, individuals
can:
- Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a certified health
professional.
- Never demand antibiotics if your health worker says you don’t
need them.
- Always follow your health worker’s advice when using antibiotics.
- Never share or use leftover antibiotics.
- Prevent infections by regularly by washing hands, preparing
food hygienically, avoiding close contact with sick people,
practising safer sex, and keeping vaccinations up to date.
Policy makers
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, policy
makers can:
- Ensure a robust national action plan to tackle antibiotic
resistance is in place.
- Improve surveillance of antibiotic-resistant infections.
- Strengthen policies, programmes, and implementation of infection
prevention and control measures.
- Regulate and promote the appropriate use and disposal of quality
medicines.
- Make information available on the impact of antibiotic resistance.
Health professionals
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, health
professionals can:
- Prevent infections by ensuring your hands, instruments, and
environment are clean.
- Only prescribe and dispense antibiotics when they are needed,
according to current guidelines.
- Report antibiotic-resistant infections to surveillance teams.
- Talk to your patients about how to take antibiotics correctly,
antibiotic resistance and the dangers of misuse.
- Talk to your patients about preventing infections (for example,
vaccination, hand washing, safer sex, and covering nose and
mouth when sneezing).
Healthcare industry
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, the
health industry can:
- Invest in research and development of new antibiotics, vaccines,
diagnostics and other tools.
Agriculture sector
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance,
the agriculture sector can:
- Only give antibiotics to animals under veterinary supervision.
- Not use antibiotics for growth promotion or to prevent diseases.
- Vaccinate animals to reduce the need for antibiotics and
use alternatives to antibiotics when available.
- Promote and apply good practices at all steps of production
and processing of foods from animal and plant sources.
- Improve biosecurity on farms and prevent infections through
improved hygiene and animal welfare.
Recent developments
While there are some new antibiotics in development,
none of them are expected to be effective against the most dangerous
forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Given the ease and frequency with which people
now travel, antibiotic resistance is a global problem, requiring
efforts from all nations and many sectors.
Impact
When infections can no longer be treated by first-line
antibiotics, more expensive medicines must be used. A longer duration
of illness and treatment, often in hospitals, increases health care
costs as well as the economic burden on families and societies.
Antibiotic resistance is putting the achievements
of modern medicine at risk. Organ transplantations, chemotherapy
and surgeries such as caesarean sections become much more dangerous
without effective antibiotics for the prevention and treatment of
infections.
WHO response
Tackling antibiotic resistance is a high priority
for WHO. A global action plan on antimicrobial resistance, including
antibiotic resistance, was endorsed at the World Health Assembly
in May 2015. The global action plan aims to ensure prevention and
treatment of infectious diseases with safe and effective medicines.
The “Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance”
has 5 strategic objectives:
- To improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance.
- To strengthen surveillance and research.
- To reduce the incidence of infection.
- To optimize the use of antimicrobial medicines.
- To ensure sustainable investment in countering antimicrobial
resistance.
Heads of State at the United Nations General Assembly
in New York in September 2016 committed to taking a broad, coordinated
approach to address the root causes of AMR across multiple sectors,
especially human health, animal health and agriculture. Countries
reaffirmed their commitment to develop national action plans on
AMR, based on the global action plan. WHO is supporting Member States
to develop their own national action plans to address antimicrobial
resistance.
In response to the first objective of the global
action plan, WHO is leading a global, multi-year campaign with the
theme “Antibiotics: Handle with care”. The campaign was launched
during the first World Antibiotic Awareness Week in November 2015.
Interviews
We plan to do einterviews with MBBS doctors to understand 4 things
1) Tests or questions you ask in first few meetings
2) What it means in medical terms
3) What it means in non medical terms
4) What should the patient or care takers do
We might interview Aurvedic doctors, homeopathic doctors, Yoga teachers
on this health issue |