Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

is the ability of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites to resist medicines, causing untreatable infections and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.

Misuse and overuse

of antimicrobials to promote animal growth and to prevent diseases, creates resistance against drugs (in animals and in humans consuming these animals), along with the pollution of the environment.

Post-Antibiotic Era

“If current trends continue unabated, there will be a post-antibiotic era: an end to modern medicine. Things as common as strep throat or a child’s scratch knee could once again, kill” (Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, 2012).

Samantha, a 17-year-old, was admitted to the hospital with a virus. The ward had two cases of MRSA, a viciously resistant bacteria. The doctors decided to do a marrow bone biopsy in her hip. After a week, she started
to complain of soreness. She was brought back to the hospital and was
told that she had MRSA in her nose, neck, lungs and the biopsy site.
A few days later, she stopped breathing, her kidneys failed,
and she died of major organ failure.

What is an AMR outbreak?

An AMR outbreak means: there are no more effective antibiotics, to produce 6 new ones will cost 6 billion US$ and 3-4 years, contaminations will increase exponentially, and transmissions will occur as fast or faster than the Covid-19 pandemic.

AMR Weekly Newsletter