A Mini Review on Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance in Human Pathogenic Bacteria: Challenges and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the major global health challenges of the current century, resulting from the inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics in the fields of medicine, agriculture and the environment. Reports from the World Health Organization show that resistant infections have increased morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs. With the slow pace of discovery of new antibiotics, a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of resistance and the development of new therapeutic methods is essential. The main mechanisms of resistance include the production of drug-inactivating enzymes, changes in the location of drug targets, efflux pumps, and reduced penetration of drugs into the cell. Horizontal gene transfer causes the rapid spread of resistance in bacterial populations. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains have created serious treatment problems. In addition, the shortage of new drugs and the misuse of antibiotics have exacerbated this crisis. New therapeutic approaches such as phage therapy, antimicrobial peptides, pump inhibitors, and CRISPR-Cas systems have brought new hope. Tackling drug resistance requires global collaboration, the development of new drugs, and the implementation of careful antibiotic stewardship policies. These measures can prevent the spread of resistance and maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapies in the future.