Antibiotic resistance

de Eileen R. Choffnes, David A. Relman, Alison Mack

For decades it seemed as if modern medicine had conquered many of the infectious diseases that once threatened human and animal health. But years of using, misusing, and overusing antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs have led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant "superbugs." Some strains of bacteria and viruses are now resistant to all but a single drug, while others have no effective treatments at all. The IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats held a public workshop April 6-7 to discuss the nature and sources of drug-resistant bacteria and viruses and their implications for global health. Speakers explored the evolutionary, genetic, and ecological origins of antimicrobial drug resistance and its effects on human and animal health worldwide. Participants discussed the causes of drug resistance; strategies for extending the life of antimicrobial drugs; alternative approaches for treating infections; incentives and disincentives for prudent antimicrobial drug use; and prospects for the next generation of antimicrobial treatments. This document summarizes the workshop--