Antibiotics

definition

Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria to become increasingly resistant to an antibiotic to which they were previously susceptible.

Antibiotic resistance genes are occurring as consequences of natural selection and genetic mutation.

Note: AntiMicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a broader term encompassing resistance to other microbes as well, such as viruses and fungi.

Resistance development can be triggered by different factors such as inappropriate use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, poor hygiene conditions and practices in healthcare settings or in the food chain facilitating the transmission of resistant microorganisms.