Antimicrobials — medicines and other products used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants save countless lives and protect vital economic sectors. They are, in effect, a superweapon.
Without them, modern medicine would struggle to treat even mild infections in humans, animals, and plants. But a report from the UN Environment Programme shows that pollution is diluting the effectiveness of antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics.
The result? A crisis-level increase in antimicrobial-resistant superbugs and other insidious examples of antimicrobial resistance. Read more
