The War against Bad Bugs: Fighting the Resistance

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms have become a growing concern, especially in regions with high prevalence. Both the increase in antibiotic consumption and rapid spread of highly-resistant strains have contributed to a surge inMDRmicroorganismrates. Such a rise is significant, given thatMDR organisms may also result in increased mortality and elevated healthcare costs. In fact, high mortality attributable to multidrug-resistant microorganisms for 2050 is expected in developing countries, mainly in Asia and Africa, followed by Latin America [1]. E orts should therefore center around developing antimicrobial stewardship programs, control measures and new antibiotics.