Antimicrobial Resistance - The 'Real' Pandemic We Are Unaware Of, Yet Nearby.

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a persistent and escalating public health crisis, often overlooked despite its severe global impact. Unlike acute infectious diseases, AMR progresses silently but relentlessly, posing long-term threats to health systems worldwide. This review examines the historical evolution and current epidemiology of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), emphasizing the global and Korean burden of MDROs. While the development of new antibiotics remains limited, alternative therapies such as bacteriophage treatment have re-emerged as potential solutions. However, challenges in access to novel agents persist, particularly in Korea, due to regulatory, economic, and market-related barriers. To counter AMR, comprehensive strategies are essential. These include infection control, antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs), and the development and proper allocation of new drugs. The One Health approach must integrate human, animal, and environmental health perspectives. Notably, infectious disease specialists play a central role in this fight: leading ASPs, shaping policy, engaging in public education, supporting research, and coordinating multidisciplinary collaboration. The AMR pandemic is unlikely to subside without systemic reform, sustained investment, and international cooperation. Urgent efforts must be made to address this hidden but growing threat. Recognizing AMR as a true pandemic is the first step toward containing its spread and securing the efficacy of antibiotics for future generations.