Abstract
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has been recognized as a global health crisis. It occurs when the microbial pathogens develop mechanisms by means of which the existing antibiotics become ineffective against them and the management of infections caused by them become difficult. According to the data of World Health Organization (WHO) the most common multidrug resistant (MDR) microbes include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium difficile, Klebsiella pneumoniae and many more. Overpopulation, globalization, misuse of antibiotics by humans, injudicious use of antibiotics in livestock, poor hygiene standards in hospitals and lack of development of new antibiotics constitute the major causes for the rise in antimicrobial resistance. Although, the development of new antibiotics is considered as a potential solution to tackle the spread of AMR; newer alternative strategies including vaccines, bacteriophages, monoclonal antibodies, other bioactive molecules like peptides and development of effective diagnostic tools are also being explored by scientists to overcome this issue. This global concern thus requires collaborative efforts from countries across the world. Therefore, different organizations like World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Infectious Diseases Society of America, World Economic Forum are working tirelessly towards the control of AMR.