The Role of Vaccines in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

The introduction of new classes of antibiotics, and the high use of antimicrobials in healthcare, agriculture, and the food industry, have all contributed to accelerate the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial species and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains worldwide. At present, the dramatic rise in AMR among important human bacterial pathogens is reaching a state of global crisis threatening a return to the pre-antibiotic era. AMR, already a significant burden on public health and economies, is anticipated to grow even more severe in the coming decades.