Curious Cook: AMR – a real-life horror movie

Global warming has caused higher temperatures which can accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance. — PIXABAY/Pexels

On the African continent, there is currently a man-made phenomenon that is already causing more deaths than malaria, tuberculosis, and AIDS combined. The horror story is antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and it is getting increasingly scarier as it spreads around the world.

The causes of AMR are well-known and indisputable. The roots of AMR can be traced back to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human medicine and agriculture. Every time an antibiotic is used, there is a risk that bacteria surviving the treatment will develop resistance. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the frequent and often unnecessary prescription of antibiotics for viral infections against which they are ineffective.