Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health What You Need to Know

Germs, like bacteria and fungi, are everywhere. Most germs pose no threat. However, some germs are very harmful to people, animals, and the environment. The good news is there are powerful drugs called antibiotics and antifungals that treat infections caused by harmful bacteria and fungi. Since their development, these drugs have become essential parts of modern health care. Unfortunately, germs can develop the ability to defeat or resist the drugs designed to kill them. This is called antimicrobial resistance or drug resistance. When this happens, germs are not killed and continue to grow, meaning they have become drug resistant. This can result in infections that are difficult or even impossible to treat. Other terms sometimes used to describe this include antibiotic resistance, antifungal resistance, and superbugs. Antimicrobial resistance can affect anyone, anywhere, at any stage of life, as well as animals, our food supply, and our shared environment. Worldwide, more than 1 million people die from drug-resistant bacterial infections each year. If antibiotics and antifungals lose their effectiveness, then we lose the ability to treat many types of infections and control these public health threats. Many medical advances that we count on to keep us well are dependent on the ability to fight infections using antibiotics, including cancer therapy, the treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes, surgery and joint replacements, asthma, organ transplants, and rheumatoid arthritis. When a germ becomes resistant to even one antibiotic or antifungal drug, there can be serious problems. For example, if the recommended treatments, sometimes called first-line drugs, don't work, the antibiotics that doctors have to use next may not work as well and may cause serious side effects in patients. Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent threat to America's health. We find drug-resistant infections in every U.S. state and territory, in healthy people and in those with existing health conditions, and in people of all stages of life. We must prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance to protect people and communities in the United States. If nothing is done about antimicrobial resistance, the drugs we use to treat infections today may not work tomorrow, and once minor, curable infections may be deadly. Antimicrobial resistance doesn't just impact humans. It also affects animals, plants, and the environment, threatening our healthcare, veterinary, and agriculture industries. Bacteria and fungi can spread between people, within and between healthcare facilities, between animals and people, from food to people, and to crops and our environment. If a germ becomes drug-resistant, it can carry that resistance along as it moves. Drug-resistant bacteria and fungi can contaminate foods, goods, and even medical products that are shipped across the U.S. or between countries around the world. The spread of drug-resistant bacteria and fungi can be accelerated in situations like in conflict zones and during emergencies when healthcare infrastructure is impacted. A drug-resistant threat in one place can quickly spread to others, including through travel. Preventing infections in the first place is our first line of defense against antimicrobial resistance. Some of our most important prevention tools include good hygiene practices, getting vaccinated, using antibiotics and antifungal drugs appropriately, and proven infection prevention and control actions in healthcare settings. Infection prevention can help preserve the power of antibiotic and antifungal drugs, save lives, and prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic and antifungal drugs are valuable tools for treating infections, but any time they are used, they can cause side effects and contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Using antibiotics and antifungals appropriately helps effectively treat infections, avoid drug-related side effects, and prevent the development of antimicrobial resistance. CDC is committed to protecting Americans from the threat of antimicrobial resistance. CDC works with every state, as well as some territories and large cities, to make sure they can detect and respond to drug-resistant threats. CDC also works globally to help detect and stop the spread of drug-resistant germs before they reach the United States. There are steps we can all take to reduce our risk and help stop the spread of drug-resistant germs. These include keeping hands clean, preparing food safely, staying up-to-date on vaccinations, practicing safer sex, and using antibiotics and antifungals as directed by a healthcare provider. CDC's work helps ensure the U.S. can accurately detect, rapidly respond to, and combat antimicrobial resistance. Federal, state, territorial, and local officials are critical partners in CDC's efforts to protect people from antimicrobial resistance. Actions these officials can take to help protect Americans from this public health threat include ensuring federal, state, territorial, and local health departments have the resources they need to prevent infections and detect, respond to, and combat antimicrobial resistance, supporting policies and programs that ensure antibiotics and antifungals are used appropriately, and that healthcare professionals can provide quality care that protects patients and saves lives, and working together across the human health, animal health, and agriculture and environmental sectors to combat antimicrobial resistance. From inside hospitals and out to farms, and from research labs to community spaces, we must work together to combat antimicrobial resistance. Learn more about CDC's comprehensive approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance through core actions and programs by visiting www.cdc.gov slash antimicrobial hyphen resistance.