Antibiotic Resistance: A Persistent Global Health Threat and Pathways to Overcome It

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance (a major subset of antimicrobial resistance, AMR) has become a leading global health threat: resistance is rising across key bacterial pathogens, undermining treatment of common infections and increasing morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This review summarizes up-to-date epidemiology from global surveillance, describes molecular and phenotypic mechanisms (including biofilms and mobile resistance genes), examines clinical and One-Health drivers (human, animal, environment), evaluates current diagnostics and therapeutic strategies, and outlines public-health, stewardship, and innovation priorities. We highlight surveillance and diagnostic gaps, the dwindling R&D pipeline for new antibiotics, and the urgent need for integrated One-Health actions, equitable access to diagnostics and effective antibiotics, and incentives for antibiotic innovation.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial resistance, mechanisms, surveillance, stewardship, One-Health, diagnostics etc.