During the post-World War II "wonder drug" revolution, antibiotics were viewed as a panacea for mastering infectious disease. This book narrates the far-reaching history of antibiotics, focusing particularly on reform efforts that attempted to fundamentally change how antibiotics are developed and prescribed

This volume focuses on antibiotics research, a field of topical significance for human health due to the worrying increase of nosocomial infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. It covers several basic aspects, such as the evolution of antibiotic resistance and the influence of antibiotics on the gut microbiota, and addresses the search for novel pathogenicity blockers as well as historical aspects of antibiotics. Further topics include applied aspects, such as drug discovery based on biodiversity and genome mining, optimization of lead structures by medicinal chemistry, total synthesis and drug delivery technologies. Moreover, the development of vaccines as a valid alternative therapeutic approach is outlined, while the importance of epidemiological studies on important bacterial pathogens, the problems arising from the excessive use of antibiotics in animal breeding, and the development of innovative technologies for diagnosing the “bad bugs” are discussed in detail. Accordingly, the book will appeal to researchers and clinicians alike.

In ten years’ time, will antibiotics still work? Have we let bacteria get the upper hand in the evolutionary arms race? In the 1920s the discovery of the antibiotic penicillin started a golden age of medicine. However, experts warn that the end of that age may be just a decade away. In this BWB Text, microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles explores the looming crisis of antibiotic resistance and its threat to New Zealand. Wiles concludes that New Zealand must do more to protect the public from a future without antibiotics.

In this monograph, journalist Rinke van den Brink takes a closer look at the limitations and risks of today’s antibiotic use. Though all developed societies have grown accustomed to successfully treating bacterial infections with these wonder drugs, the author focuses on the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant infections. By examining recent mass outbreaks, readers will gain a better understanding of the global impact of antimicrobial resistance – one of the most serious public health threats today. Following this somewhat disquieting review of the status quo, interviews with a number of specialists provide an outlook on possible solutions. In a world that is more connected than ever, partnerships between different healthcare systems are becoming all the more important. Rinke van den Brink uses the example of a border-spanning collaboration between the Netherlands and Germany to demonstrate how effective lines of communication can be established. The book offers a wealth of useful background information for healthcare personnel. Not only does it share insights into the functional microbe-antibiotic relationship; it also discusses how clinics can effectively address outbreaks, helping readers to learn from past experiences and develop effective new strategies.

The discovery of antibiotics was considered a milestone in health sciences and became the mainstay of antimicrobial therapy to treat and control bacterial infections. However, its utility has subsequently become limited, due to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance among different bacterial species, which has emerged as a global threat. The development and spread of antimicrobial resistance have been attributed to many factors, including indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the healthcare and livestock industries. The present scenario of antibiotic resistance urgently requires interventions in terms of development of newer antimicrobials, evaluation of alternative therapies, and formulation of stringent policies to curb indiscriminate use of antimicrobials. This book highlights the importance and development of antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic, environmental and food bacteria, including the significance of candidate alternative therapies.

Antibiotics represent one of the most successful forms of therapy in medicine. But the efficiency of antibiotics is compromised by the growing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Antibiotic resistance, which is implicated in elevated morbidity and mortality rates as well as in the increased treatment costs, is considered to be one of the major global public health threats (www.who.int/drugresistance/en/) and the magnitude of the problem recently prompted a number of international and national bodies to take actions to protect the public (http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/docs/road-map-amr_en.pdf: http://www.who.int/drugresistance/amr_global_action_plan/en/; http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/carb_national_strategy.pdf). Understanding the mechanisms by which bacteria successfully defend themselves against the antibiotic assault represent the main theme of this eBook published as a Research Topic in Frontiers in Microbiology, section of Antimicrobials, Resistance, and Chemotherapy. The articles in the eBook update the reader on various aspects and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. A better understanding of these mechanisms should facilitate the development of means to potentiate the efficacy and increase the lifespan of antibiotics while minimizing the emergence of antibiotic resistance among pathogens.

AN AUTHORITATIVE SURVEY OF CURRENT RESEARCH INTO CLINICALLY USEFUL CONVENTIONAL AND NONCONVENTIONAL ANTIBIOTIC THERAPEUTICS Pharmaceutically-active antibiotics revolutionized the treatment of infectious diseases, leading to decreased mortality and increased life expectancy. However, recent years have seen an alarming rise in the number and frequency of antibiotic-resistant "Superbugs." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over two million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States annually, resulting in approximately 23,000 deaths. Despite the danger to public health, a minimal number of new antibiotic drugs are currently in development or in clinical trials by major pharmaceutical companies. To prevent reverting back to the pre-antibiotic era—when diseases caused by parasites or infections were virtually untreatable and frequently resulted in death—new and innovative approaches are needed to combat the increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics. Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics – From Molecules to Man examines the current state and future direction of research into developing clinically-useful next-generation novel antibiotics. An internationally-recognized team of experts cover topics including glycopeptide antibiotic resistance, anti-tuberculosis agents, anti-virulence therapies, tetracyclines, the molecular and structural determinants of resistance, and more. Presents a multidisciplinary approach for the optimization of novel antibiotics for maximum potency, minimal toxicity, and appropriated degradability Highlights critical aspects that may relieve the problematic medical situation of antibiotic resistance Includes an overview of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance Addresses contemporary issues of global public health and longevity Includes full references, author remarks, and color illustrations, graphs, and charts Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics – From Molecules to Man is a valuable source of up-to-date information for medical practitioners, researchers, academics, and professionals in public health, pharmaceuticals, microbiology, and related fields.

Humans coexist with millions of harmless microorganisms, but emerging diseases, resistance to antibiotics, and the threat of bioterrorism are forcing scientists to look for new ways to confront the microbes that do pose a danger. This report identifies innovative approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. The report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.

This volume covers all aspects of the antibiotic discovery and development process through Phase II/III. The contributors, a group of highly experienced individuals in both academics and industry, include chapters on the need for new antibiotic compounds, strategies for screening for new antibiotics, sources of novel synthetic and natural antibiotics, discovery phases of lead development and optimization, and candidate compound nominations into development. Beyond discovery , the handbook will cover all of the studies to prepare for IND submission: Phase I (safety and dose ranging), progression to Phase II (efficacy), and Phase III (capturing desired initial indications). This book walks the reader through all aspects of the process, which has never been done before in a single reference. With the rise of antibiotic resistance and the increasing view that a crisis may be looming in infectious diseases, there are strong signs of renewed emphasis in antibiotic research. The purpose of the handbook is to offer a detailed overview of all aspects of the problem posed by antibiotic discovery and development.