Abstract

A REVIEW ON ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTICS RESISTANCE

*Sakshi R. Bhalerao, Shravan J. Somani and Dr. Mahesh R. Sherkar

ABSTRACT

Antibiotic resistance is becoming a major global health threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that the rise of ―superbugs‖ bacteria that can resist antibiotics is making once-treatable infections difficult or impossible to cure. In 2013 alone, 2 million people in the U.S. were infected with antibiotic- resistant bacteria, and 23,000 died from these infections. Superbugs develop resistance through genetic changes that allow them to survive in the presence of antibiotics. Some bacteria can destroy the antibiotic or change the part of the bacteria that the drug targets. As a result, doctors often struggle to find effective treatments, and some bacteria can resist several different antibiotics. Misusing antibiotics is a key cause of resistance. For example, antibiotics are often prescribed for viral infections (where they don’twork) or are given to livestock to help them grow faster. These antibiotics can end up in the environment, where they continue to affect bacteria. Adding to the problem is the fact that very few new antibiotics are being developed. Furthermore, the overuse of antibiotics harms our microbiome the community of microorganisms in our body that help with digestion and protect us from disease. Disrupting this balance may contribute to rising rates of chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes. This paper will explore the history and science of antibiotics, how antibiotic resistance develops, and the impact of misuse. It will also look at the current situation, including advances in genomic sequencing that are helping scientists study resistant bacteria, and discuss potential future solutions to the crisis of antibiotic resistance.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance is becoming a major global health threat. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that the rise of ?superbugs? bacteria that can resist antibiotics is making once-treatable i