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Preface
The thoughtless person playing with penicillin treatment is morally responsible for the
death of the man who succumbs to infection with the penicillin-resistant organism
Sir Alexander Fleming
The World Health Organization has included antimicrobial resistance as one of the
top ten threats to global health in 2019. Antimicrobial resistance is a slow but implacable evolutionary process, which has been accelerated by human activity in sectors
such as human health, environment, and agriculture. Sir Alexander Fleming predicted the rise of antibiotic resistance in his 1945 Nobel Prize speech, where he
emphasized on the risks associated with administration of non-lethal dosage of
penicillin and its unregulated availability. Currently, various antibiotics are extensively employed in agriculture, environment, veterinary, and human medicine. Due
to their wide application and unchecked usage, antibiotics and their residues have
been found in almost all food products, for example, dairy, meat and vegetables, and
in sewage, soils, and waters. High concentration of antibiotics is frequently associated with higher antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, guidelines and policies are
needed to reduce antibiotic consumption and to prevent indiscriminate usage.
Despite global efforts, antimicrobial resistance is accelerating and if present trends
continue unabated, there could be as many as 10 million annual antimicrobial resistance–related deaths from a wide array of infections by 2050. The holistic multisectoral “One-Health” approach is thus needed for combating antimicrobial resistance
and, in turn, save lives (Fig. 1).
This book reviews the drivers, the impact, the assessment, and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance. Chapter 1 by Singh et al. explains how “One-Health” practices
could efficiently mitigate emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This
requires effective surveillance, strict regulations, regulated use, and novel antimicrobials. Chapter 2 by Kumar et al. presents global programs of surveillance of
antimicrobial resistance in humans, animals, and the environment, with focus on
monitoring aptness of therapy guidelines, public health interventions, and policies
for controlling infection. Chapter 3 by Mohsin et al. discusses antimicrobial resistance in relation to climate change and food security. Chapter 4 by Santana et al.
Preface
The thoughtless person playing with penicillin treatment is morally responsible for the
death of the man who succumbs to infection with the penicillin-resistant organism
Sir Alexander Fleming
The World Health Organization has included antimicrobial resistance as one of the
top ten threats to global health in 2019. Antimicrobial resistance is a slow but implacable evolutionary process, which has been accelerated by human activity in sectors
such as human health, environment, and agriculture. Sir Alexander Fleming predicted the rise of antibiotic resistance in his 1945 Nobel Prize speech, where he
emphasized on the risks associated with administration of non-lethal dosage of
penicillin and its unregulated availability. Currently, various antibiotics are extensively employed in agriculture, environment, veterinary, and human medicine. Due
to their wide application and unchecked usage, antibiotics and their residues have
been found in almost all food products, for example, dairy, meat and vegetables, and
in sewage, soils, and waters. High concentration of antibiotics is frequently associated with higher antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, guidelines and policies are
needed to reduce antibiotic consumption and to prevent indiscriminate usage.
Despite global efforts, antimicrobial resistance is accelerating and if present trends
continue unabated, there could be as many as 10 million annual antimicrobial resistance–related deaths from a wide array of infections by 2050. The holistic multisectoral “One-Health” approach is thus needed for combating antimicrobial resistance
and, in turn, save lives (Fig. 1).
This book reviews the drivers, the impact, the assessment, and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance. Chapter 1 by Singh et al. explains how “One-Health” practices
could efficiently mitigate emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This
requires effective surveillance, strict regulations, regulated use, and novel antimicrobials. Chapter 2 by Kumar et al. presents global programs of surveillance of
antimicrobial resistance in humans, animals, and the environment, with focus on
monitoring aptness of therapy guidelines, public health interventions, and policies
for controlling infection. Chapter 3 by Mohsin et al. discusses antimicrobial resistance in relation to climate change and food security. Chapter 4 by Santana et al.