Antimicrobial

Resistance

AMR knows no boundaries –
it can affect anyone, of any age, in any country.

AMR is the ability of a microorganism such as bacteria, viruses and parasites to stop an antimicrobial (e.g. antibiotics) from working against it.

AMR can also lead to treatments becoming ineffective and accelerate the spread of infections.

Microorganisms are increasingly harder to treat with antimicrobial medication.

More and more bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.

Antivirals must constantly keep up with new mutations as well.

Resistance to antimalarials is also a growing problem.

No. of deaths attributable to AMR by 2050

10 million deaths per year are projected between 2015 and 2050 if current infection and resistance trends are not reversed. Only 0.7 million of these additional deaths would occur in North America or Europe, with the largest numbers in Africa and Asia.

Antimicrobial Resistance

North America

317k

Latin America

392k

Europe

392k

Africa

4.1m

Asia

4.7m

Oceania

22k

Consequences of AMR

Infections and antibiotic consumption

150 mil
150 million people are affected by UTIs yearly
80 %
80% of suspected UTI samples turn out to be negative
83 %
83% of patients may not receive any urinalysis testing before getting an antibiotic prescription
21 %
21% of re-prescriptions were for the same antibiotic.

Discover the fighter in you

Keep in mind

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Overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to become resistant, meaning current treatments will no longer work.

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Antibiotics are not always the answer. Do not demand antibiotics if your healthcare professional says you don’t need them.

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Not all infections can be treated with antibiotics; antibiotics don’t cure viral infections such as cold and flu.

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Only take antibiotics prescribed to you, do not share them with family or friends.

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Above all, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional when taking antibiotics.

Get more in-depth insights
from our expert interviews

Think you know what AMR is now?
Test your knowledge here!

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    Question: 1

    True or false:

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when the body becomes resistant to antibiotics?

    TrueFalse

    This is a common misconception; it is actually the bacteria themselves that can develop resistance to standard treatment, not the human body. These bacteria can then spread to other people and cause infections.

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    Question: 2

    What is the difference between antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic resistance?

    They are the sameAntibiotic resistance is a subset of AMR and only refers to the resistance of bacteria against antibioticsAntimicrobial resistance includes microorganisms such as viruses, parasites and fungi and not only bacteria

    Antibiotic resistance is a subset of AMR. AMR also includes medications that are resistant to viruses (e.g. HIV, hepatitis), parasites (p. falciparum malaria) and fungi (candida).

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    Question: 3

    Where are antimicrobial-resistant bacteria found?

    North and Central AmericaSouth AmericaAsiaEuropeAfricaAntarcticaAustralia and New ZealandEverywhere

    The World Health Organization says antimicrobial-resistant organisms are in every country. There is a form of tuberculosis (TB) that is already resistant to the 2 most powerful anti-TB drugs. As of July 2016, resistance to the first-line treatment for P. falciparum malaria (artemisinin-based combination therapies, also known as ACTs) has been confirmed in 5 countries of the Greater Mekong subregion (Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). In 2010, an estimated 7% of people starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in developing countries had drug-resistant HIV.

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    Question: 4

    What can happen if you get an antimicrobial-resistant infection?

    You may be sick for longerYou may have to visit your doctor more or be treated in a hospitalYou may need more expensive/stronger medicine that can cause side effectsAll of the above

    You can prevent AMR by staying healthy. Keep up to date on your vaccines, use safe practices while cooking, wash and sanitise your hands regularly, and be smart if you do become sick. Do not take antibiotics if you have a viral infection and don’t share antibiotics with others.

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    Question: 5

    Which of the following illnesses cannot be treated with antibiotics?

    Food poisoning (salmonella)InfluenzaChlamydiaUTI (E.coli)

    Influenza (as well as the common cold) is caused by a virus. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, not viral infections. Taking antibiotics for a viral infection won’t help and can contribute to the rise of AMR.

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    Question: 6

    We would like to hear your comments and feedback on Sysmex efforts to fight AMR.

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    Question: 7

    Kindly provide us your name, Hospital/Institute name & email address, if you would like us to get in touch with you on our Sysmex solutions for AMR.

    Antimicrobial Resistance
    Antimicrobial Resistance
    Antimicrobial Resistance