Page 3 - Antimicrobial Resistance DL Brochure

The Impact of Antimicrobial
Resistance
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is reducing the
effectiveness of antibiotics, posing one of the
most significant threats to global health. It is
not a disease itself, but a critical feature of many
diseases.
It occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist the
drugs designed to kill them, rendering treatments
ineffective and infections harder to control.
Antimicrobial Resistance leads to:
•
Longer hospital stays.
•
Increased medical costs.
•
Emotional distress for individuals and their
carers.
•
Treatment failures and complications.
What is Antimicrobial
Resistance (AMR)?
AMR is when an Antimicrobial is no longer able
to effectively treat an infection. This is that a
microorganism has developed resistance to an
antimicrobial, so it will not work to kill the infection.
Antimicrobial Resistance, often referred to as
antibiotic resistance, occurs when bacteria and
other microbes develop the ability to survive
treatments designed to kill them. While antibiotics
are a specific type of antimicrobial used to treat
bacterial infections, Antimicrobial Resistance
impacts all types of antimicrobial agents.
The more frequently antimicrobials are used, the
greater the risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
developing. We can work together to prevent AMR.