Antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is when germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, become resistant to the drugs that are supposed to kill them. It's like putting pepper in your soup to make it spicy, but over time, your taste buds get used to it, and you need to add more pepper for it to taste spicy again. Resistance happens because germs are very clever and can change their DNA to become immune to drugs. Think of it like a superhero mutating to become immune to an attacker's weapons.

When the germs become resistant, the drugs that were once effective in killing them no longer work, and the germs can continue to grow and spread. This makes it harder for doctors to treat infections, and people might need stronger drugs or different treatments that could have more harmful side effects.

One reason germs become resistant is that we use too many antibiotics and antiviral drugs without needing them, like taking medicine when we don't have a cold or taking the wrong medicine for an infection. It's like using too much soap on your hands when you're washing them - it kills the germs, but over time, they can become resistant to it.

To stop germs from becoming resistant, we need to use antibiotics and antiviral drugs only when we really need them, take them correctly, finish the entire course of treatment, wash our hands frequently, and follow other hygiene and infection control practices. It's like eating healthy foods and exercising regularly to keep your body strong and healthy. By being careful about how we use drugs, we can help prevent antimicrobial resistance and keep ourselves and our communities healthy.