Antibiotic Abuse as a Precursor to Antimicrobial Resistance

Abuse and prescription of antibiotics has become one of the main factors in this international health crisis called antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It looks at how the abuse of antibiotics correlates with increased resistance rates within pathogenic microorganisms and provides self-medication, a lack of awareness, and inadequate healthcare practices as underlying causes of such abuse. This section digs deeper into the global antibiotic usage trend and throws out alarmingly shocking statistics on increasing instances of antibiotic misuse across various areas, focusing especially on developing and developed countries. A comprehensive mechanism for AMR has been presented, along with explanations of how selective pressure through the inappropriate use of antibiotics has driven bacterial adaptations through genetic changes, which encompass mutations and horizontal gene transfer. These changes allow pathogens to survive, proliferate, and spread, even in the presence of potent antibiotics. This chapter highlights the urgent need for strong strategies to deal with AMR, which should include antibiotic stewardship programs, strict regulation of antibiotic sales, and global initiatives aimed at creating public awareness of responsible antibiotic use. This demands an effort where the government, health workers, pharmaceutical industry, and the public collaborate to effectively respond to this increasingly growing threat. In conclusion, antibiotic abuse is not a local issue but rather a global health issue that should be urgently addressed to prevent the loss of currently available antibiotics to ineffective uses, as this would ensure successful treatment of infectious diseases in the future.