Antibiotic misuse behind antibacterial resistance: Expert

Gorakhpur: The growing misuse and overuse of antibiotics is fuelling the alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a rapidly emerging global health threat responsible for millions of deaths annually, said Prof Pradyot Prakash on Friday.He was addressing a technical session on the second day of a three-day national seminar titled "AMR-Shield 2026", organised by the faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Mahayogi Gorakhnath University.Speaking at the Panchkarma auditorium on the university campus, Prof Prakash explained that bacteria develop resistance through genetic changes, enabling mechanisms such as enzyme production, target modification, efflux pumps and biofilm formation. "These mechanisms make infections increasingly difficult to treat," he said.Amaresh Kumar Singh, another speaker in the session, stressed the need for a robust antibiotic policy and raised concerns over indiscriminate use of medicines without proper testing.Deepa Srivastava spoke on microbiome-based antimicrobials, highlighting that secondary metabolites derived from local microbial communities could offer promising alternatives to tackle AMR.In the final session of the day, Prof Shailendra Kumar discussed the environmental spread of antibiotic resistance through hospital waste, identifying it as a major source of AMR dissemination. Prof GS Tomar, joining online, elaborated on the Ayurvedic perspective on AMR, noting that traditional systems of medicine could help strengthen immunity and support resistance control. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with EId ul fitr 2026 wishes, messages and quotes !