Evolving resistance among gram-positive pathogens

Antimicrobial therapy is a key component of modern medical practice and a cornerstone for the development of complex clinical interventions in critically ill patients. Unfortunately, the increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance is now recognized as a major public health threat jeopardizing the...

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Autores:
Munita, Jose M.
Bayer, Arnold S.
Arias, Cesar A.
Tipo de recurso:
Article of journal
Fecha de publicación:
2015
Institución:
Universidad El Bosque
Repositorio:
Repositorio U. El Bosque
Idioma:
eng
OAI Identifier:
oai:repositorio.unbosque.edu.co:20.500.12495/3725
Acceso en línea:
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12495/3725
https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/civ523
https://repositorio.unbosque.edu.co
Palabra clave:
Antimicrobial resistance
Multidrug-resistant
Methicillin-resistant
Vancomycin-resistant
Penicillin-resistant
Rights
openAccess
License
Acceso abierto
Description
Summary:Antimicrobial therapy is a key component of modern medical practice and a cornerstone for the development of complex clinical interventions in critically ill patients. Unfortunately, the increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance is now recognized as a major public health threat jeopardizing the care of thousands of patients worldwide. Gram-positive pathogens exhibit an immense genetic repertoire to adapt and develop resistance to virtually all antimicrobials clinically available. As more molecules become available to treat resistant gram-positive infections, resistance emerges as an evolutionary response. Thus, antimicrobial resistance has to be envisaged as an evolving phenomenon that demands constant surveillance and continuous efforts to identify emerging mechanisms of resistance to optimize the use of antibiotics and create strategies to circumvent this problem. Here, we will provide a broad perspective on the clinical aspects of antibiotic resistance in relevant gram-positive pathogens with emphasis on the mechanistic strategies used by these organisms to avoid being killed by commonly used antimicrobial agents.