Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) arises when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites evolve ways to survive drugs designed to kill them. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture accelerate this process. Resistant pathogens can share resistance genes through horizontal gene transfer, allowing traits such as efflux pumps, drug degrading enzymes and altered targets to spread quickly.

A key concern is multidrug resistant bacteria, often called “superbugs,” which evade several classes of antibiotics. Hospitals are hotspots because of high antibiotic use and vulnerable patients. Infections that were once easily treated now require last line drugs, which may be less effective, more toxic or unavailable in low resource settings. This threatens modern medicine, including surgery, cancer chemotherapy, organ transplantation and care of premature babies, all of which rely on effective infection control.

Research on AMR focuses on understanding molecular mechanisms of resistance, tracking resistant strains, and developing new strategies. These include new antibiotics, combinations that pair drugs with enzyme inhibitors, and agents that disrupt biofilms. Scientists also study how antibiotic exposure in the environment and livestock selects for resistance that can move into human pathogens.

Another major research area is stewardship and diagnostics. Rapid tests can distinguish bacterial from viral infections and identify resistance genes, helping clinicians choose narrow spectrum drugs and shorten treatment courses. Modeling and surveillance aim to predict resistance trends and guide policy.

Without effective countermeasures, projections suggest rising deaths, longer hospital stays and higher medical costs worldwide, making AMR a critical global health challenge.