Abstract

TORRES-CAYCEDO, María Inés; CASTRO-GUTIERREZ, Lisbeth Teresa; PRADA-QUIROGA, Carlos Fernando  and  LOPEZ-VELANDIA, Diana Paola. Antibiotic Resistance: Origins, evolution and healthcare-associated infections. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2018, vol.34, n.2, pp.494-505. ISSN 0120-5552.  https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.34.2.615.32.

The increased incidences of Healthcare-associated Infections (HAI) caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, have led to an enlarged number of morbidity and mortality cases. Besides, other factors that are affected are patients, families and institutions providing health services. Therefore, the permanent study of the subject is necessary to identify possible strategies that contribute to the reduction of the issue. A critical review of the literature based on the origin of antibiotics, the evolution of their respective resistance, and the impact on public health from a historical and current perspective was developed. The search of the literature was carried out in the bibliographic databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, SciELO, The Cochrane Library and Lilacs. The reviewed literature showed, from the historical viewpoint, the discovery of antibiotics to the last-generation antibiotics. The rapid coevolution of genes for antibiotics resistance and its subsequent spread to hundreds of species of microorganisms by Horizontal Transfer gene (HTG) was also reviewed. It is also discussed how the expansion in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) generates a series of factors that increase health-care associated infections care (HAI) and their impact on public health. The development of antibiotics from the discovery to recent changes in the behavior and response of the microorganisms with the generation of AMR shortly after, is one of the most fantastic examples of the evolution that exists in nature.

Keywords : Microbial Drug Resistance; Bacterial Genes; Infection; Horizontal Gene Transfer; History.

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