Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a phenomenon described since the discovery of the first antibiotics. In the euphoria of the golden age of antibiotics, this central problem remained hidden for a long time. Today, ABR is one of the central public health issues of the 21st century. Indeed, available projections estimate that by 2050, overall 10 million people could die each year from the consequences of ABR. In light of these figures, understanding the complexity of its determinants, as well as the delay in the fight against RBA appears crucial. ABR is a global problem, and it is intrinsically a geopolitical issue at the heart of the major challenges of our time. Understanding it from this perspective would enable us to better control this phenomenon. Antibiotics occupy a unique place among anti-infectives. They are indeed societal drugs that play a very special role in our therapeutic arsenal. Along with vaccination and the development of hygiene, antibiotics constitute one of the cornerstones of modern medicine. Without antibiotics, complex surgery is impossible, as are solid organ transplants, resuscitation, and treatment of oncological patients. What is more, prescribing antibiotics is the responsibility of all doctors, whatever their field of practice, and it may at times be the responsibility of non-physicians. Owing to its ubiquitous nature, the treatment of ABR should be a central concern. This article sought to cover ABR by analyzing both its determinants and the response lines that are emerging.
Key Words
Antibiotic resistance, global problem, awareness