Resistance to beta-lactams in Gram-negative bacilli: relevance and potential therapeutic alternatives

Rev Esp Quimioter. 2022 Sep;35 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):1-15. doi: 10.37201/req/s02.01.2022. Epub 2022 Oct 4.

Abstract

The indiscriminate and massive antibiotic use in the clinical practice and in agriculture or cattle during the past few decades has produced a serious world health problem that entails high morbidity and mortality: the antibiotic multi-drug resistance. In 2017 and 2019, the World Health Organization published a list of urgent threats and priorities in the context of drug resistance, which only included Gram-negative bacteria and specially focused on carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as carbapenem and third generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. This scenario emphasizes the need of developing and testing new antibiotics from different families, such as new beta-lactams, highlighting cefiderocol and its original mechanism of action; new beta-lactamase inhibitors, with vaborbactam or relebactam among others; new quinolones such as delafloxacin, and also omadacycline or eravacycline, as members of the tetracycline family. The present work reviews the importance and impact of Gram-negative bacterial infections and their resistance mechanisms, and analyzes the current therapeutic paradigm as well as the role of new antibiotics with a promising future in the era of multi and pan-drug resistance.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Carbapenems / pharmacology
  • Cattle
  • Cephalosporins / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / drug therapy
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / microbiology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Quinolones* / pharmacology
  • Tetracyclines / pharmacology
  • Tetracyclines / therapeutic use
  • beta-Lactamase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • beta-Lactams / pharmacology
  • beta-Lactams / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Carbapenems
  • Cephalosporins
  • Quinolones
  • Tetracyclines
  • beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
  • beta-Lactams