Antimicrobial Resistance and Its Consequences for Infection Control and Global Public Health

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the most formidable threats to global public health, rendering previously treatable infections increasingly difficult or impossible to manage. The global burden of AMR accounts for an estimated 1.27 million directly attributable deaths annually, with mortality projections reaching 10 million per year by 2050 if current trajectories are not reversed. This review synthesises evidence from pharmaceutical science, clinical microbiology, infectious disease epidemiology, and health systems research published between 2020 and 2025 to critically examine the biological mechanisms underpinning AMR, its epidemiological distribution, and the cascade of consequences for infection prevention and control (IPC) in healthcare settings. We analyse the role of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs), WHO priority pathogen frameworks, global surveillance systems including the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS), and the intersection of the One Health approach in combating AMR across human, animal, and environmental reservoirs. Emerging therapeutic innovations, including bacteriophage therapy, CRISPR-based antimicrobials, and novel beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, are critically appraised. The review concludes with policy recommendations for strengthening national action plans, reinforcing pharmaceutical pipelines, and achieving equitable AMR governance across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).