Antimicrobial Resistance - What is it? Fact Sheet

Antimicrobial or antibiotic resistance is a multi-sectoral global threat affecting human and animal health, food safety, plants, fisheries and the environment as a whole. Hence, there is a need for a multi-sectoral approach to address AMR. The resulting FAO Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance has four components to address the AMR threat

El fenómeno mundial de la Resistencia a los Antimicrobianos (RAM), es actualmente la principal amenaza para la salud pública en el siglo XXI, alcanzando proporciones preocupantes en todas las regiones del mundo. A su vez está poniendo en riesgo la sostenibilidad de los sistemas agroalimentarios y con ello, la seguridad alimentaria y el comercio de alimento

These guidelines present evidence-based recommendations and best practice statements on use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals, based on the WHO list of critically important antimicrobials for human medicine (WHO CIA List). These guidelines aim primarily to help preserve the effectiveness of medically important antimicrobials, particularly those antimicrobials judged to be critically important to human medicine and also help preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials for veterinary medicine, in direct support of the WHO global action plan on antimicrobial resistanc

Résumé d’orientation

Antimicrobials play a critical role in treatment of terrestrial and aquatic food producing animals and plants, helping to assure food safety and quality, animal health and welfare and farmer livelihoods

Handle Antimicrobials with care, we can help!

Antimicrobials are widely used in food animal production, and use is rapidly increasing. In an era of growing demand for animal products, there is an increasing trend towards the industrial production of food animals, especially in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). One hallmark of this method of animal production is the use of antimicrobial drugs, which in the majority of cases are administered to healthy animals for purposes other than treating or controlling disease (termed “therapeutic uses”

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) both in human and veterinary medicine has reached alarming levels in most parts of the world and has now been recognized as a significant emerging threat to global public health and food security. In June 2015, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) passed a resolution on AMR at its governing Conference. This followed the adoption of counterpart resolutions on AMR by The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in May 20152, and marked the beginning of a joint effort by the three organizations to combat AMR globally