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Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): A Global Health Crisis

• AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines.
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) poses an urgent threat to global health, jeopardizing the efficacy of antibiotics and other vital antimicrobial medicines. 
• AMR occurs naturally but is exacerbated by the misuse and overuse of these medicines in humans, animals, and plants.
• AMR leads to infections that are increasingly difficult or impossible to treat, amplifying the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.

Impact of AMR:

• The impact of AMR extends beyond human health to include animals, plants, and agriculture, affecting food security and economic stability worldwide. The costs are substantial, driving up healthcare expenses due to prolonged treatments and increased hospital stays. 
• Low- and middle-income countries bear a disproportionate burden, exacerbated by factors such as poor sanitation, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and limited access to effective vaccines and diagnostics.
• In 2019 alone, AMR directly caused 1.27 million deaths globally, with an even greater number of deaths indirectly linked to resistant infections. The crisis undermines medical advancements, rendering routine procedures like surgeries and cancer treatments riskier.
• Addressing AMR requires a multifaceted approach including enhanced infection prevention, responsible antimicrobial use, and robust surveillance systems. 
• Moreover, there is an urgent need for research and development to replenish the diminishing pipeline of effective antibiotics and to ensure equitable access to new treatments. 
• Without concerted global action, AMR threatens to reverse decades of medical progress, imposing substantial human, economic, and societal costs in the coming years.

The 2022 Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS):

• It underscores alarming levels of resistance among common bacterial pathogens.
• It reveals that in 76 countries, median rates of resistance are particularly concerning: 42% of E. coli strains show resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, and 35% of Staphylococcus aureus strains are resistant to methicillin.
• Additionally, for urinary tract infections caused by E. coli, one out of every five cases exhibited reduced susceptibility to standard antibiotics such as ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, and fluoroquinolones in 2020.