Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing amongst the common organisms that cause infection. This is of major concern to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and in all countries worldwide.

In the UK the numbers of deaths are increasing year on year associated with antibiotic resistat strains. There are no new antibiotics coming to the market because large pharmaceutical companies have stopped looking for new ones. Although this is changing it can take up to 10 years before a new discovery actually is used by doctors. This has left doctors with fewer treatment options and the possibility of returning to a pre-antibiotic era.

Imagine going back to the days before penicillin where health individuals died as the result of a simple infection sometimes. Lets think about how medicine has advanced!! Could you imagine going in for complex medical procedures knowing that if you got an infection you could die if you caught an infection where the microorganism was resistant to antibiotics?? Transplant infection? New hips?? Its frightening isn’t it?

It is predicted that by 2050 death due to infection will be greater than cancer so there is a worrying thought to end with. What alternatives do we have?? Read my next blog on essential oils.

Want more information on antimicrobial resistance? Read..

World Health Organisation (WHO) Antimicrobial resistance

WHO Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance