ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

 ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

·   Antimicrobial resistance happens when microorganisms change when they are exposed to antimicrobial drugs. Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “Superbugs”.

·     Antimicrobial resistance happens when microorganisms develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow.

·   Among the major challenges facing microbiologists today are the problems presented by pathogens that are resistant to antimicrobial agents.

·      As a result of Antimicrobial resistance, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others.

·       New resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in prolonged illness, disability, and death.

·       Not all pathogens are equally sensitive to a given therapeutic agent; a population may contain a few organisms that are naturally either partially or completely resistant.

·       Among bacteria, individual cells can acquire such resistance in two ways:

(i)    Through new mutations of chromosomal genes.

(ii)  By acquiring resistance genes on extrachromosomal pieces of DNA called R plasmids.

Mechanism of Antimicrobial Resistance

·       There are Six mechanisms of Antimicrobial resistance.

(i)  Resistant cells may produce an enzyme that destroys or deactivates the drug. The Beta (β)-lactamases (penicillinases), which are enzymes that break the beta-lactam rings of Penicillin.

(ii)    Resistant microbes may slow or prevent the entry of the Antibiotics into the cell.

(iii) Resistant cells may alter the target of the drug so that the drug either cannot attach to it or binds it less effectively.

(iv)  Resistant cells may alter their metabolic chemistry.

(v)    Resistant cells may pump the antimicrobial out of the cell before the drug can act.

(vi)  Bacteria within biofilms resist antimicrobials more effectively than free-living cells.