Antimicrobial Resistance

Advances in technology, treatments and healthcare over the past decades has increased life expectancy, however, people are living longer but with poorer health. Vital organ transplants, implants and prosthetic replacements, caesarian sections and cancer chemotherapy are just a few examples of treatments that need antibiotics to prevent and treat the bacterial infections. If antibiotics become less or ineffective, even minor surgery and routine operations could become high risk procedures if serious infections can’t be treated.

By using or taking the wrong kind of anti-infective agent or antimicrobial drug, not using them as directed or in inappropriate concentrations, humans as patients, prescribers, carers can drive antimicrobial resistance the world over.

Within the UK and globally we are already seeing the increase and transmission of antimicrobial resistance with new types of ‘superbugs’ that cannot be treated with existing medicines. The microbes which cause many common diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, sexually transmitted diseases, urinary tract infections, chest infections, bloodstream infections and food poisoning, can resist a wide range of antimicrobials. Some cases of bacteria causing tuberculosis and gonorrhoea are already resistant to last-resort antibiotics.

In this section you will find a range of regional resources and CPD that can help people prevent infections, reduce the need for Antibiotics, yet when needed, use them in the best possible way.