Antibiotic Resistance

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What is Antibiotic Resistance?

Antibiotic resistance means that an antibiotic is no longer effective against the bacteria it is intended to treat. There are numerous reasons why bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. However, this phenomenon is largely due to widespread overuse and incorrect prescribing practices. In fact, up to 50% of all the antibiotics prescribed are either not needed – for example, antibiotics prescribed to treat a viral infection – or are not effective as prescribed.

Did You Know

Today, antibiotic resistance is a leading global health problem with a substantial impact on patients, health care systems and economies worldwide. Current trends project antibiotic resistance could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050.

Combatting Antibiotic Resistance with Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic tests have the capacity to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use by identifying non-bacterial infections, expedite diagnosis and treatment decisions through point-of-care tests, and guide antimicrobial treatment selection through antibiotic susceptibility tests. Additionally, diagnostic tests support early detection and diagnosis of drug-resistant infections, enable effective disease surveillance and outbreak monitoring, and help prevent the spread of resistant organisms.