Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing number of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medications, making infections more difficult to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, serious illness and death. As a result, medications become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spreading to others.
Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics – are drugs used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants. Microorganisms that develop resistance to antimicrobials are sometimes called “superbugs.”
