Antimicrobial Resistance [AMR] and antimicrobial stewardship [AMS]

Question 1

What are antimicrobials?

Answer 1

Includes all agents that act against microorganisms, namely bacteria viruses and protozoa

Question 2

What are antibacterials?

Answer 2

Act only on bacteria

Question 3

What are antibiotics?

Answer 3

Produced naturally and kill or inhibit the growth of other microorgansism mainly bacteria.

Question 4

What is antibiotic resistance?

Answer 4

The ability of bacteria to protect themselves against the effects of an antibiotic

Question 5

What is antimicrobial resistance? AMR

Answer 5

When microbes are resistant to one or more antimicrobial agent, used to treat infection or as an antiseptic

Question 6

Describe innate or acquired resistance?

Answer 6

Resistance is commonly acquired resistant - which may be a result of either novel mutation or transfer of genes causing resistance

Question 7

Describe vertical transmission in terms of acquired antibiotic resistance?

Answer 7

A bacterium accumulates errors or mutations in its genome during replication - some of those changes give the ability to resist antibiotics and are passes on to subsequent generations

(passed down)

Question 8

Describe horizontal transmission in terms of acquired antibiotic resistance?

Answer 8

Resistant genes are swapped from one microbe to another. (via transformation, transduction or conjugation)

(passed from one bacteria to the next)

Question 9

Why is there more resistance?

Answer 9

Complacency regarding antibiotics

Increased use of broad-spec antibiotics

Question 10

What is antimicrobial stewardship?

Answer 10

“the optimal selection, dosage, and duration of antimicrobial treatment that results in the best clinical outcome for the treatment or prevention of infection, with minimal toxicity to the patient and minimal impact on subsequent resistance.”