Over time, microbes develop resistance to antimicrobials, and some eventually evolve into so-called “superbugs” that no longer respond to the drugs. So we see more and more untreatable infections appearing in hospitals and communities. This phenomenon, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), means that common illnesses and diseases may become life-threatening again.
Recent figures show that antimicrobial resistance has been linked to close to 5 million deaths annually – more than the total combined death toll of HIV/AIDS and malaria.
It is further estimated that deaths related to drug-resistance could increase to 10 million per year by 2050, overtaking cancer as a leading cause of death worldwide. World AMR Awareness Week aims to improve awareness and understanding of this silent killer.
Read the full article on The Conversation website written by Marina Joubert, Science Communication Researcher, Stellenbosch University; Phaik Yeong Cheah, Professor of Global Health at the Nuffield Department of Medicine and Sonia Lewycka, Epidemiologist at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit from the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
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