Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance

The discovery, commercialization, and routine administration of antimicrobial compounds to treat infections revolutionized modern medicine and changed the therapeutic paradigm. Indeed, antibiotics have become one of the most important medical interventions needed for the development of complex medical approaches such as cutting-edge surgical procedures, solid organ transplantation, and management of patients with cancer, among others. Unfortunately, the marked increase in antimicrobial resistance among common bacterial pathogens is now threatening this therapeutic accomplishment, jeopardizing the successful outcomes of critically ill patients. In fact, the World Health Organization has named antibiotic resistance as one of the three most important public health threats of the 21st century (1).