What impact does microbial resistance have on public health?

Microbial resistance significantly impacts public health primarily by leading to increased healthcare costs due to more severe infections. As microorganisms, including bacteria, develop resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, treating infections becomes more challenging. This resistance can result in longer hospital stays, the necessity for more expensive or intensive treatments, and an increased risk of complications from untreated infections.

Consequently, healthcare systems face higher costs associated with managing patients who have resistant infections, including additional diagnostic tests, alternative medications that may be more expensive, and extended inpatient care when patients do not respond to first-line treatments. The burden is not only found at the individual level but scales up to affect health insurance expenses, hospital resources, and the overall economic burden on public health systems.

The other options do not accurately reflect the impact of microbial resistance. For instance, vaccines continue to be effective despite resistance issues, and increased microbial resistance actually correlates with higher rates of hospitalizations, not a decrease. Furthermore, hygiene practices remain critical in combating resistant infections, so they are indeed necessary rather than unnecessary.