Antibiotics are widely used to treat infectious diseases. This leads to the presence of antibiotics and their metabolic products in the ecosystem, especially in aquatic environments. In many countries, the growth of pathogen resistance to antibiotics is considered a threat to national security. Therefore, methods for determining the sensitivity/resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial drugs are important. This review discusses the mechanisms of the formation of antibacterial resistance and the various methods and sensor systems available for analyzing antibiotic effects on bacteria. Particular attention is paid to acoustic biosensors with active immobilized layers and to sensors that analyze antibiotics directly in liquids. It is shown that sensors of the second type allow analysis to be done within a short period, which is important for timely treatment.
Keywords: acoustic biosensors; acoustic delay lines; antibiotic resistance/sensitivity; bacterial cells; piezoelectric resonators.