title: Antibiotic resistance: the current position and the molecular mechanisms involved.
abstract: The introduction of antibiotics heralded a new era in the chemotherapy of infectious diseases, but over the ensuing years bacterial evolutionary responses to the selective pressure of antibiotics have resulted in microorganisms resistant to virtually every known antibiotic. The consequences have been very important in clinical practice, as patients infected with a multi-resistant organism suffer increased morbidity and mortality and often require the use of expensive and potentially toxic antibiotic regimens in order to achieve effective, specific treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, St George's Hospital Medical School, London.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003030:Coagulase / Q000378:metabolism; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000201:enzymology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003030:Coagulase; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements