Okuzeka
Public Health & Epidemiology vocabulary · Global Health and Health Systems

Antimicrobial resistance

Meaning in public health & epidemiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In public health & epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance means: The ability of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites to survive medicines that used to kill them, making infections harder or impossible to treat.

In Turkish: antimikrobiyal direnç, antibiyotik direnci

How it is used

Shortened to AMR. It is driven by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in people, animals and farming, and is tackled through surveillance, infection control and antimicrobial stewardship programmes. 'Antibiotic resistance' is the narrower term for bacteria.

Example sentences

  1. Antimicrobial resistance threatens to make routine surgery much riskier.

  2. The national action plan on antimicrobial resistance covers both hospitals and farms.

Common collocations

  • tackle antimicrobial resistance
  • antibiotic resistance
  • antimicrobial stewardship
  • drug-resistant infections
  • national action plan on AMR
  • One HealthAn approach that recognises that the health of people, animals and the environment is closely connected and brings these sectors together to prevent and control health threats.
  • surveillanceThe continuous, systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health data, shared in good time so that action can be taken to prevent and control disease.
  • WHOShort for the World Health Organization, the United Nations agency for international public health, founded in 1948 and based in Geneva.
  • burden of diseaseThe total impact of a disease or health problem on a population, measured by deaths, illness, disability and sometimes economic cost.

More terms: Global Health and Health Systems

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.