title: Update on the antibiotic resistance crisis.
abstract: Antibiotics tend to lose their efficacy over time due to the emergence and dissemination of resistance among bacterial pathogens. Strains with resistance to multiple antibiotic classes have emerged among major Gram-positive and Gram-negative species including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp. Enterobacteriaceae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. With some Gram-negatives, resistance may involve most or even all the available antimicrobial options, resulting in extremely drug-resistant or totally drug-resistant phenotypes. This so-called 'antibiotic resistance crisis' has been compounded by the lagging in antibiotic discovery and development programs occurred in recent years, and is jeopardizing the essential role played by antibiotics in current medical practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, I-50134 Florence, Italy; Clinical Microbiology and Virology Unit, Florence Careggi University Hospital, I-50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: gianmaria.rossolini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Gian Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rossolini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.affiliation: Clinical Microbiology and Virology Unit, Florence Careggi University Hospital, I-50134 Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pecile
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents