Antimicrobial Resistance: Causes, Examples, Things to Remember, FAQs

Microorganisms like viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites are capable of changing themselves in order to survive the action of antimicrobial drugs such as antibacterial, antivirals, anti-parasitic and antifungal drugs. This phenomenon is referred to as antimicrobial resistance. This resistance of microbes towards the drugs that are especially used to kill them, most of the time turns out to be extremely hazardous due to various reasons. When an infection manages to become resistant it may spread or kill. Spreading of such kinds of microbes that can’t be destroyed by existing drugs can pose a huge threat to mankind. Hence, biotechnology today is strongly focused on being prepared for such variants of resistant killers.

The cause of antimicrobial-resistant can be more than just natural modification. Improper usage of medicines, such as sharing antibiotics or using antibiotics for viral infections like cold and flu etc. There are many other reasons how microbes can develop resistivity against certain drugs.

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Keyterms: Microorganisms, Viruses, Fungi, Bacteria, Parasites, Antimicrobial drugs, Antimicrobial resistance, Phenomenon, Microbes, Antibiotics, Drugs

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Antimicrobial Resistance Causes

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Survival is the instinct of the living. No matter the size, origin, or lifespan, every living organism possesses one primary motto throughout its complete lifespan, which is to live. Exactly, in the same way, microorganisms such as viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites have the ability to sometimes change their due to biological and social causes in order to survive and reproduce to expand their family.

A few major causes of antimicrobial resistance or AMR are given below:-

• Mutation

Evolution is a continuous process that helps sustain life. The majority of microorganisms reproduce rapidly and evolve to adapt to external conditions. While the replication process it is likely for a mutation to occur which enables microbes to survive the action of an antimicrobial.

• Gene Transfer

Non-resistant microbes can receive the DNA of resistant microbes rendering the antimicrobials of no use. This makes it possible for various non-mutated variants to survive. For an instance, Bacteria can multiply by billions and rapidly, hence the ones that have antibacterial resistant DNA may transfer a copy of their genes to the ones that aren’t resistant to antibacterial.

• Selective Pressure

There is a possibility for some microbes to resist the antimicrobials while others might get destroyed. The survivor microbes now reproduce and expand their progeny in order to become a dominant type. This allows the population to remain intact even under the action of active antimicrobial.

• Hospital Use

Even when it is extremely required, overuse of antimicrobial in severely sick patients in the hospitals can degrade their situation. This can occur by the selection of antimicrobial-resistant microbes. The spread of these microbes can be catalysed by the deficiency of immunity in the ill patients and their vicinity in a hospital.

• Improper Use

Often knowingly or without knowledge, people might take antimicrobials inappropriately. For example, taking antibiotics for a viral infection is rather common. Such practices can lead to the resistance of microorganisms and can cause various serious consequences. Sometimes chemists and healthcare specialists might also prescribe improperly, giving rise to the same situation.

• Insufficient Diagnostic

Negligence in diagnosis sometimes can give rise to unexpected results. When infections are treated without complete diagnosis and in case the antimicrobial does not work effectively on certain microbes, this will only worsen the case. Possibly, the microbe might get stronger and more resistant.

• Agricultural Use

Researchers suggest that when agricultural feeds are mixed with antibiotics, this leads to antimicrobial resistance. The underlying reason is extensive exposure to chemical substances such as pesticides, fertilisers and other industrial wastes. The resistant microbes find their way to mankind causing heavy consequences. 

Read More:- Multicellular Organisms

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Antimicrobial Resistance Examples

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Some of the microbes that can manage to survive various antimicrobials are tabulated below.

• Malaria

Malaria is caused by different variants of the Plasmodium group which are transmitted by infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Among the five species of Plasmodium, P. Falciparum and P. vivax. These parasites have developed resistance to nearly most of the anti-malarial medicines.

• Escherichia Coli

Multiple anti-bacterial drugs have been found ineffective in the Escherichia Coli bacteria. These bacteria survive through horizontal gene transfer.

• Tuberculosis

Some Tuberculosis (TB) are multi-drug-resistant called MDR TB and some others are essentially classified as extensively drug-resistant or XDR TB. The rare XDR TB are even unaffected by the most potent TB medicines. TB develops drug resistance due to misuse and mismanagement of anti-TB drugs.

• Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is one among the many dangerous Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). The bacteria are resistant to the majority of treatments like penicillin and multiple other drugs. Underlying causes of the resistance include poorly managed access to antimicrobials, inappropriate selection and extensive usage of antibiotics. 

Read More:- Charles Darwin Theory

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Things to Remember

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the phenomenon of microorganisms developing resistance towards the drugs that are essentially designed to kill them.
• Out of various biological and man-made causes of antimicrobial resistance; mutation, gene transfer, selective pressure, inappropriate usage and inadequate diagnosis are some of the major causes.
• Malaria, Escherichia Coli, Tuberculosis and Gonorrhoea are some of the drug-resistant microorganisms.

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