Open AccessAntibiotic Resistance
Author(s) -
Edwin Dias,
Meena Dias,
Deeksha N. Acharya
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of health sciences and pharmacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2581-6411
DOI - 10.47992/ijhsp.2581.6411.0001
Subject(s) - antimicrobial , antibiotic resistance , antibiotics , intensive care medicine , medicine , tuberculosis , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology
Bacterial resistance to antimicrobials is recognized by the WHO as a major healththreat of the 21st century. Antimicrobial resistance threatens the effective preventionand treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections. Infections such as tuberculosis and septicaemia which decimated populations are once again responsible for mortality in epidemic proportions. Bacterial resistance is driven by the continued use of antimicrobials and it is unlikely that the danger of resistance can be effectively diminished by the discovery of new antimicrobials. The problem lies with the patent duration (20 years) and billion dollar investments of the pharmaceutical companies in producing a new antimicrobial. We have used, or are using, our so-called drugs of last resort. There is nothing left in the armamentarium and investments in developing new antimicrobials are missing, we are moving into the post-antimicrobial era.