Table 1 Factors identified as driving global antimicrobial resistance
Factors | Plain language translation |
|---|---|
Human antimicrobial mis-/over-use | Misuse and/or overuse of antibiotics in humans (e.g. not finishing a course of antibiotics, taking antibiotics for viral, rather than bacterial, infections) |
Animal antimicrobial mis-/over-use | Misuse and/or overuse of antibiotics in animals (e.g. farming) |
Environmental contamination (including sewage and heavy metals) | Waste products from antibiotics entering the environment (through manufacture, sewage and disposal) |
Healthcare transmission | Resistant bacteria being passed between people in hospital and other healthcare areas |
Sub-optimal rapid diagnostics | A lack of quick, accurate tests to diagnose infections |
Sub-optimal preventative medicine/vaccination | A lack of effective vaccines and poor uptake of existing ones |
Sub-optimal dosing, including from substandard and falsified medications | Incorrect dosing of antibiotics in humans (e.g. not adjusting dosage for body weight) |
Travel | Human travel from one area of the globe to another, spreading resistant bugs |
Mass drug administration in human health | Mass drug administration – i.e. the regular giving of antibiotics to a large group of people (e.g. a whole state or country) to treat an infection, regardless of whether individuals are ill or not |