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Research papers on Antibiotic resistance

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  3. Antibiotic resistance in microbes: History, mechanisms, therapeutic strategies and future prospects.

    Tanvir Mahtab Uddin, A. Chakraborty, A. Khusro, et al. · 2021 · Journal of infection and public health · 1,104 citations

    Antibiotics have been used to cure bacterial infections for more than 70 years, and these low-molecular-weight bioactive agents have also been used for a variety of other medicinal applications. In the battle against microbes, antibiotics have certainly been a blessing to human civilization by saving millions of lives. Globally, infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are on the rise. Antibiotics are being used to combat diversified bacterial infections. Synthetic biology techniques, in combination with molecular, functional genomic, and metagenomic studies of bacteria, plants, and even marine invertebrates are aimed at unlocking the world's natural products faster than previ

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  4. Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in biofilms

    Yu-Liu Ho, Emma L. Prentice, Mark A. Webber · 2024 · npj Antimicrobials and Resistance · 552 citations

    Most bacteria in nature exist in aggregated communities known as biofilms, and cells within a biofilm demonstrate major physiological changes compared to their planktonic counterparts. Biofilms are associated with many different types of infections which can have severe impacts on patients. Infections involving a biofilm component are often chronic and highly recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy as a result of intrinsic physical factors including extracellular matrix production, low growth rates, altered antibiotic target production and efficient exchange of resistance genes. This review describes the biofilm lifecycle, phenotypic characteristics of a biofilm, and contribution of matrix and pe

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  5. Antibiotic development challenges: the various mechanisms of action of antimicrobial peptides and of bacterial resistance

    Fernanda Guilhelmelli, Nathália Vilela, Patrícia Albuquerque, et al. · 2013 · Frontiers in Microbiology · 548 citations

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are natural antibiotics produced by various organisms such as mammals, arthropods, plants, and bacteria. In addition to antimicrobial activity, AMPs can induce chemokine production, accelerate angiogenesis, and wound healing and modulate apoptosis in multicellular organisms. Originally, their antimicrobial mechanism of action was thought to consist solely of an increase in pathogen cell membrane permeability, but it has already been shown that several AMPs do not modulate membrane permeability in the minimal lethal concentration. Instead, they exert their effects by inhibiting processes such as protein and cell wall synthesis, as well as enzyme activity, among o

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  6. Occurrence of antibiotics and bacterial resistance genes in wastewater: resistance mechanisms and antimicrobial resistance control approaches

    Mutuku S. Christopher, Zoltán Gazdag, Szilvia Melegh · 2022 · World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology · 280 citations

    Antimicrobial pharmaceuticals are classified as emergent micropollutants of concern, implying that even at low concentrations, long-term exposure to the environment can have significant eco-toxicological effects. There is a lack of a standardized regulatory framework governing the permissible antibiotic content for monitoring environmental water quality standards. Therefore, indiscriminate discharge of antimicrobials at potentially active concentrations into urban wastewater treatment facilities is rampant. Antimicrobials may exert selective pressure on bacteria, leading to resistance development and eventual health consequences. The emergence of clinically important multiple antibiotic-resi

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  7. Antibiotic failure: Beyond antimicrobial resistance

    C. de la Fuente-Núñez, Angela Cesaro, Robert E. W. Hancock · 2023 · Drug resistance updates : reviews and commentaries in antimicrobial and anticancer chemotherapy · 233 citations

    Despite significant progress in antibiotic discovery, millions of lives are lost annually to infections. Surprisingly, the failure of antimicrobial treatments to effectively eliminate pathogens frequently cannot be attributed to genetically-encoded antibiotic resistance. This review aims to shed light on the fundamental mechanisms contributing to clinical scenarios where antimicrobial therapies are ineffective (i.e., antibiotic failure), emphasizing critical factors impacting this under-recognized issue. Explored aspects include biofilm formation and sepsis, as well as the underlying microbiome. Therapeutic strategies beyond antibiotics, are examined to address the dimensions and resolution

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  8. Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms in Gram-Negative Bacteria

    A. Gauba, Khondaker Miraz Rahman · 2023 · Antibiotics · 229 citations

    Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections are exponentially increasing, posing one of the most urgent global healthcare and economic threats. Due to the lack of new therapies, the World Health Organization classified these bacterial species as priority pathogens in 2017, known as ESKAPE pathogens. This classification emphasizes the need for urgent research and development of novel targeted therapies. The majority of these priority pathogens are Gram-negative species, which possess a structurally dynamic cell envelope enabling them to resist multiple antibiotics, thereby leading to increased mortality rates. Despite 6 years having passed since the WHO classification, the progress

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  9. Combating Antibiotic Resistance: Mechanisms, Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens, and Novel Therapeutic Approaches: An Updated Review

    Mostafa E. Elshobary, Nadia K. Badawy, Yara Ashraf, et al. · 2025 · Pharmaceuticals · 227 citations

    The escalating global health crisis of antibiotic resistance, driven by the rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens, necessitates urgent and innovative countermeasures. This review comprehensively examines the diverse mechanisms employed by bacteria to evade antibiotic action, including alterations in cell membrane permeability, efflux pump overexpression, biofilm formation, target site modifications, and the enzymatic degradation of antibiotics. Specific focus is given to membrane transport systems such as ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, resistance–nodulation–division (RND) efflux pumps, major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters, multidrug and toxic

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  10. The Global Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance: Mechanisms, Case Studies, and Mitigation Approaches

    Abubakar Nazir, Awais Nazir, Varisha Zuhair, et al. · 2025 · Health Science Reports · 149 citations

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050 if left unaddressed, posing a severe threat to global health and modern medicine. This review analyzes the molecular and ecological mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance and evaluates global efforts aimed at containment to identify actionable strategies to mitigate AMR's escalating impact.

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  11. Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

    María Fernández-Billón, Aina E. Llambías-Cabot, E. Jordana-Lluch, et al. · 2023 · Biofilm · 116 citations

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of life-threatening acute infections and life-long lasting chronic infections. The characteristic biofilm mode of life in P. aeruginosa chronic infections severely limits the efficacy of antimicrobial therapies, as it leads to intrinsic tolerance, involving physical and physiological factors in addition to biofilm-specific genes that can confer a transient protection against antibiotics promoting the development of resistance. Indeed, a striking feature of this pathogen is the extraordinary capacity to develop resistance to nearly all available antibiotics through the selection of chromosomal mutations, evidenced by its outstanding and versatile mutati

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  12. Antibiotic resistance in the absence of antimicrobial use: mechanisms and implications

    Lucia Pallecchi, Alessandro Bartoloni, Franco Paradisi, et al. · 2008 · Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy · 113 citations

    The selective pressure generated by the use of antibiotics in clinical, veterinary, husbandry and agricultural practices is considered the major factor responsible for the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria since the beginning of the antibiotic era. However, recent studies have consistently demonstrated that acquired resistance traits can also be found in bacteria isolated from humans and wild animals not subjected to significant antibiotic exposure and living in remote areas of the planet. The scope of this article is to review and discuss the current knowledge on this intriguing phenomenon, which underscores the complexity of the mechanisms involved in the emergence and

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  13. Biochemistry of Bacterial Biofilm: Insights into Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms and Therapeutic Intervention

    Kashish Azeem, Sadaf Fatima, Asghar Ali, et al. · 2025 · Life · 98 citations

    Biofilms, composed of structured communities of bacteria embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix, pose a significant challenge due to their heightened resistance to antibiotics and immune responses. This review highlights the mechanisms underpinning antibiotic resistance within bacterial biofilms, elucidating the adaptive strategies employed by microorganisms to withstand conventional antimicrobial agents. This encompasses the role of the extracellular matrix, altered gene expression, and the formation of persister cells, contributing to the recalcitrance of biofilms to eradication. A comprehensive understanding of these resistance mechanisms provides a for exploring innovative ther

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  14. Metal-Based Approaches for the Fight against Antimicrobial Resistance: Mechanisms, Opportunities, and Challenges

    Chen-Yuan Wang, Xueying Wei, Liang Zhong, et al. · 2025 · Journal of the American Chemical Society · 94 citations

    The rapid emergency and spread of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria and the lack of new antibiotics being developed pose serious threats to the global healthcare system. Therefore, the development of more effective therapies to overcome AMR is highly desirable. Metal ions have a long history of serving as antimicrobial agents, and metal-based compounds are now attracting more interest from scientific communities in the fight against AMR owing to their unique mechanism. Moreover, they may also serve as antibiotic adjuvants to enhance the efficacy of clinically used antibiotics. In this perspective, we highlight important showcase studies in the last 10 years on the development of metal-b

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  15. Advanced Nanoparticles in Combating Antibiotic Resistance: Current Innovations and Future Directions

    Dana Mohammed AlQurashi, Tayf Fahad AlQurashi, Raneia Idrees Alam, et al. · 2025 · Journal of Nanotheranostics · 94 citations

    Antibiotic resistance poses a significant global health challenge, undermining the effectiveness of conventional treatments and increasing mortality rates worldwide. Factors such as the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in healthcare and agriculture, along with poor infection control practices, have accelerated the emergence of resistant bacterial strains. The stagnation in the development of new antibiotics, compounded by economic and biological challenges, has necessitated alternative approaches to combat resistant infections. Nanotechnology provides a promising solution using nanoparticles (NPs), which combat bacteria through mechanisms like membrane disruption and reactive oxygen species

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  16. Phytochemicals as Invaluable Sources of Potent Antimicrobial Agents to Combat Antibiotic Resistance

    Ragi Jadimurthy, S. Jagadish, S. C. Nayak, et al. · 2023 · Life · 78 citations

    Simple Summary Many microorganisms develop resistance to drugs through different mechanisms, and this process is called antimicrobial resistance. It is highly essential to discover new antimicrobials to kill pathogenic microbes that have developed antimicrobial resistance. Natural sources, including plants, have been serving as a great source of medicinally important compounds for the past several decades. In this article, we have discussed the antimicrobial properties of plant-derived compounds against drug-resistant human pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Abstract Plants have been used for therapeutic purposes against various human ailments for several centuries. Plant-der

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  17. Antibiotic Resistance in the Elderly: Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Solutions

    Nikolaos Theodorakis, G. Feretzakis, Christos Hitas, et al. · 2024 · Microorganisms · 77 citations

    Antibiotic resistance presents a critical challenge in healthcare, particularly among the elderly, where multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) contribute to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying resistance in key bacterial pathogens and highlights how aging-related factors like immunosenescence, frailty, and multimorbidity increase the burden of infections from MDROs in this population. Novel strategies to mitigate resistance include the development of next-generation antibiotics like teixobactin and cefiderocol, innovative therapies such as bacteriophage therapy and antivirulence treatments, and the implementation of antimicro

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  18. Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms in Gram-Positive Bacteria

    Pratiksing Rajput, K. Nahar, Khondaker Miraz Rahman · 2024 · Antibiotics · 77 citations

    The prevalence of resistance in Gram-positive bacterial infections is rapidly rising, presenting a pressing global challenge for both healthcare systems and economies. The WHO categorizes these bacteria into critical, high, and medium priority groups based on the urgency for developing new antibiotics. While the first priority pathogen list was issued in 2017, the 2024 list remains largely unchanged. Despite six years having passed, the progress that has been made in developing novel treatment approaches remains insufficient, allowing antimicrobial resistance to persist and worsen on a global scale. Various strategies have been implemented to address this growing threat by targeting specific

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  19. Breaking down antibiotic resistance in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Combining antimicrobial photodynamic and antibiotic treatments

    Jace A. Willis, Vsevolod Cheburkanov, Shao-Rong Chen, et al. · 2022 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 65 citations

    Significance Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) are a present and growing healthcare threat, especially for hospitalized patients where nosocomial infections constitute a growing concern. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), for example, has posed a significant risk for hospital-associated illness since its discovery (M. P. Jevons, 1961). The tools most used to fight resistant pathogens involve multiple antibiotics, synthetic antibiotic hybrids, or a combination with an adjuvant to increase susceptibility. Utilization of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) provides nonspecific impairment of resistance mechanisms, diversifying the appropriate antibiotics and reducing

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  21. Recent Approaches for Downplaying Antibiotic Resistance: Molecular Mechanisms

    Sarfraz Ahmed, Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmed, Safa Rafique, et al. · 2023 · BioMed Research International · 63 citations

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a ubiquitous public health menace. AMR emergence causes complications in treating infections contributing to an upsurge in the mortality rate. The epidemic of AMR in sync with a high utilization rate of antimicrobial drugs signifies an alarming situation for the fleet recovery of both animals and humans. The emergence of resistant species calls for new treatments and therapeutics. Current records propose that health drug dependency, veterinary medicine, agricultural application, and vaccination reluctance are the primary etymology of AMR gene emergence and spread. Recently, several encouraging avenues have been presented to contest resistance, such as antivi

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  22. RND Efflux Pump Induction: A Crucial Network Unveiling Adaptive Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms of Gram-Negative Bacteria

    M. Novelli, J. Bolla · 2024 · Antibiotics · 61 citations

    The rise of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria presents a grave challenge to global public health, with antimicrobial resistance ranking as the third leading cause of mortality worldwide. Understanding the mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance is crucial for developing effective treatments. Efflux pumps, particularly those of the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) superfamily, play a significant role in expelling molecules from bacterial cells, contributing to the emergence of multi-drug resistance. These are transmembrane transporters naturally produced by Gram-negative bacteria. This review provides comprehensive insights into the modulation of RND efflux pump expr

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  23. Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance and Developments in Therapeutic Strategies to Combat Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection

    Yan-Ping Li, Suresh Kumar, Li-Hu Zhang · 2024 · Infection and Drug Resistance · 59 citations

    Abstract Infections with drug-resistant bacteria have become one of the greatest public health challenges, and K. pneumoniae is among the top six drug-resistant bacteria. K. pneumoniae often causes nosocomial infections, leading to illnesses such as pneumonia, liver abscesses, soft tissue infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and in some cases death. As the pathogen continues to evolve and its multidrug resistance increases, K. pneumoniae poses a direct threat to humans. Drug resistance in K. pneumoniae may occur due to the formation of biofilms, efflux pumps, and the production of β-lactamases. In many cases, resistance is further enhanced by enzymatic modification and loss of p

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