A Systematic Review of Antibiotic Resistance Trends and Treatment Options for Hospital-Acquired Multidrug-Resistant Infections

Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health challenge described by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 public health challenges worldwide. Drug-resistant microbes contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in the hospital, especially in the critical care unit. The primary etiology of increasing antibiotic resistance is inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics. The alarming rise of drug-resistant microbes worldwide threatens to erode our ability to treat infections with our current armamentarium of antibiotics. Unfortunately, the pace of development of new antibiotics by the pharmaceutical industry has not kept up with rising resistance to expand our options to treat microbial infections. The costs of antibiotic resistance include death and disability, extended hospital stays due to prolonged sickness, need for expensive therapies, rising healthcare expenditure, reduced productivity from time out of the workforce, and rising penury. This review sums up the common mechanisms, trends, and treatment options for hospital-acquired multidrug-resistant microbes.