Clinical implications of antimicrobial resistance: how big is the problem?

This presentation addresses the question of the size of the antimicrobial resistance problem by examining the monitoring of antimicrobial use and resistance. It focuses on the main sources of information, possible pitfalls of the data and the susceptibility of the main pathogens responsible for bacteraemias in England and Wales. It addresses some of the difficulties in establishing the link between antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial prescribing and concludes with some thoughts on necessary developments.