In this Article

• Quick facts about drug resistance
• Definitions
• Antimicrobial
• Antibiotic
• Antibacterial
• MRSA and VRE
• What is drug resistance?
• History of antimicrobial drug resistance
• Causes of antimicrobial drug resistance
• Diagnosis of antimicrobial drug resistance
• Treatment of antimicrobial drug resistance
• Prevention of antimicrobial drug resistance
• Antimicrobial resistance: A growing health issue
• Drug-resistant microbes of concern today
• Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
• Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
• Microbes increasingly resistant to drugs
• Antibiotic Resistance Glossary
• Antibiotic Resistance Index

Antibiotic

An antibiotic is a medicine designed to kill or slow the growth of bacteria and some fungi. Antibiotics are commonly used to fight bacterial infections, but cannot fight against infections caused by viruses.

Example of an antibiotic:

• Azithromycin or Zithromax (Z-Pak)®
  
  
• Vancomycin is the last line of defense for certain methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.

Antibacterial

Antibacterial is the term given to substances that kill or slow the growth of bacteria when treating human and environmental surfaces. These include substances that aid in proper hygiene.

Examples of antibacterial-containing commercial products

• Hand soaps, gels, foams
  
  
• Dishwashing detergents
  
  
• Mattresses

MRSA and VRE

Examples of antimicrobial (drug) resistance:

• Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
  
  
• Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE)

What is drug resistance?

Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi, to grow in the presence of a chemical (drug) that would normally kill it or limit its growth.

Credit NIAD

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• azithromycin, Zithromax, Zmax - Establishes the medication azithromycin (Zithromax), a drug that is effective against susceptible bacteria causing infections, and certain sexually transmitted infectious diseases.
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• oseltamivir, Tamiflu - Learn about Tamiflu (oseltavivir), a drug prescribed for the treatment of flu infections including H1N1 (swine flu) infections. Tamiflu is recommended for pregnant women, adults, and children one year of age or older.

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