AMR – mechanisms and spread

ny time antibiotics are used, they can contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is driven by a combination of exposure of bacteria to antibiotics, the spread of those resistant bacteria or the spread of the genes that code for resistance to other bacteria. If too many antibiotics are being used unnecessarily or misused, usefulness of these important drugs is threatened.

Everyone has a role to play in improving antibiotic use. Appropriate antibiotic use helps fight antimicrobial resistance and ensures these life-saving drugs will be available for future generations.

Articles

• Antimicrobial resistance explained

• Reducing the risks of antimicrobial resistance

• Tetracycline antibiotics in the environment

• Global report on antimicrobial resistance

• Infection Inspection – citizen science article

• Resistance: When antibiotics don’t work – School Journal article

Webinars

• The science of superbugs – teaching antimicrobial resistance awareness in Aotearoa

• Science for communities with ESR

Media

• Antimicrobial resistance: a major health issue – video

• How bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics – video

• The antibiotic apocalypse explained – YouTube video

• How antibiotic resistance moves directly germ to germ – CDC poster

Image: Poster of how antibiotic resistance spreads. Public domain