Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria: A Review

The discovery and production of antibiotics in the first half of the previous century was a great medical achievement. Antimicrobial agents have reduced morbidity and mortality due to bacterial infections, substantially contributing to the increased overall life span of humans. Given the emergence and rapid expansion of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria, this issue has received considerable attention. Antibiotic resistance can be intrinsic, acquired, or adaptive. Therefore, efforts for antibiotic development and studies on the mechanisms of resistance should be continuous and resilient. In the following sections, we will focus on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms underlying the bacterial resistance to antibiotics and describe the related specific situations often encountered in clinical practice.