Antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of microorganisms to survive or grow despite exposure to medicines designed to kill them or inhibit their growth. It can arise through genetic change and spread between organisms.

Antibiotic resistance: The ability of bacteria to survive or grow despite exposure to antibiotics. It is the best-known form of antimicrobial resistance and arises through specific bacterial defenses.
Antimicrobial: An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobials are the medicines or agents against which resistance develops.
Antimicrobial stewardship: Coordinated efforts to use antimicrobial medicines appropriately and preserve their effectiveness. Stewardship reduces unnecessary exposure that selects for resistant microorganisms.
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: Tuberculosis caused by bacteria resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, two key first-line drugs. It shows how resistance can make a long, complex treatment substantially harder.
Antimicrobial resistance surveillance: The systematic collection and analysis of data on resistant microorganisms and their spread. Better surveillance is needed to reveal where resistance is growing and which interventions work.
Horizontal gene transfer: The movement of genetic material between organisms other than by parent-to-offspring inheritance. Bacteria can acquire resistance genes from other bacteria through this process.
Microorganism: An organism too small to be seen clearly without magnification, such as a bacterium, fungus, or virus. Resistance is a trait of microorganisms, though different kinds acquire it in different ways.
Infection prevention and control: Measures that prevent infections and limit their transmission in healthcare and community settings. Preventing infections reduces both antimicrobial use and opportunities for resistant microbes to spread.
Drug-resistant malaria: Malaria caused by parasites resistant to one or more antimalarial medicines. Resistance in malaria parasites threatens the effectiveness of key treatments and prevention strategies.
Antibiotic development: The research and testing process that produces new antibacterial medicines. The supply of effective antibiotics depends on scientific progress and sustainable development incentives.

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