What is antimicrobial resistance and why is it an important health policy issue?
Antimicrobials are substances like antibiotics and disinfectants, which can kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms. However, microorganisms can become resistant to antimicrobials, and when this happens they are no longer destroyed by antimicrobial action. This is known as antimicrobial resistance AMR. AMR develops when microorganisms are either exposed to antimicrobial agents or when resistance genes are transferred from one organism to another (see the article on page 6). We often hear about the creation of “super bugs” in the lay press – this is basically a reflection of the ability of some pathogenic microorganisms to survive in the presence of antimicrobials or, in other words, to resist treatment and propagate further. The growth of undesirable microorganisms can outpace our ability to control and mitigate their effects on human health and the health of our environment. As a result, AMR has become a significant health issue. It has narrowed our line of defence against bacter
