An infectious disease is an illness caused by germs (bacteria, viruses) or their toxins, spreading from an infected person, animal, or contaminated object to someone who is susceptible to catch the disease. Infectious diseases are a major global problem, affecting public health and economies, especially hitting vulnerable people the hardest.

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is a serious problem that leads to many illnesses and deaths. When bacteria become resistant to multiple drugs, they are hard to treat and sometimes cannot be treated with regular antibiotics at all. There are not many effective treatments available right now, and new antibiotics are scarce, so we need to find new ways to fight these infections. Bacterial biofilms contribute to this resistance and make infections harder to control. The issue also involves harmful bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile, and includes concerns like vancomycin-resistant enterococci and how to manage these infections in the Emergency Department.