Antimicrobial resistance
Resistance of microbes to drugs directed against them
Antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR or AR) occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from antimicrobials, which are drugs used to treat infections in humans, animals, and plants. Any microbe can develop resistance, including bacteria (antibiotic resistance), viruses (antiviral resistance), parasites (antiparasitic resistance), and fungi (antifungal resistance). Together, these adaptations fall under the AMR umbrella, posing a challenge to all countries and all demographics. Misuse and improper management of antimicrobials are primary drivers of this resistance, though it can also occur naturally through genetic mutations and the spread of resistant genes. Microbes resistant to multiple drugs are termed multidrug-resistant (MDR) and are sometimes called superbugs. Antibiotic resistance is a serious result of AMR. Resistance arises through spontaneous mutation, horizontal gene transfer, and increased selective pressure from antibiotic overuse, both in medicine and agriculture, which...
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