Antimicrobial Resistance: Collective Responsibility for Global Public Health

Antimicrobials are the medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites alter over a period of time in such a way that they no longer respond to medicines, which makes it difficult to treat the infections. This increases the risk of spreading of diseases, severe illness, and death. The rapid increase and spread of drug-resistant pathogens that have attained new resistance mechanisms leading to antimicrobial resistance continues to endanger the potential of antimicrobials to cure common infections. Especially alarming is the emergence and spread of multi- and pan-resistant bacteria, also known as 'superbugs'. These cause infections that are not treatable with prevailing antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotics. Adequate investment and innovation is required in operational research and development of new antimicrobial medicines and vaccines in order to target antimicrobial resistance. This book provides comprehensive insights with respect to antimicrobial resistance. It will serve as a reference to a broad spectrum of readers.