Antibiotics

definition

Antibiotics are essential to modern medicine, playing a crucial role in treating millions of people worldwide. They help combat infections ranging from mild to life-threatening in both humans and animals and are vital for supporting surgeries and cancer therapies. However, antimicrobial resistance reduces the effectiveness of treatments, endangering human and animal health. These resistant organisms can spread through people, animals, food, and the environment, posing a significant threat to public health.

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.