Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?

The discovery of antibiotics some 60 years ago was anticipated to herald the end of infectious diseases. However, microbial evolution and genetic jugglery have dispelled this notion; the constant increase in the appearance of resistant strains has not been matched by the introduction of new therapeu...

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Main Author: Julian Davies
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2006-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2006/707296
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author Julian Davies
author_facet Julian Davies
author_sort Julian Davies
collection DOAJ
description The discovery of antibiotics some 60 years ago was anticipated to herald the end of infectious diseases. However, microbial evolution and genetic jugglery have dispelled this notion; the constant increase in the appearance of resistant strains has not been matched by the introduction of new therapeutic agents. On the contrary, the dire need for novel antibiotics has coincided with a reduction in antibiotic discovery programs in the pharmaceutical industry. As a result, the treatment of microbial diseases has reached a point where many infections are essentially untreatable by the antimicrobial agents currently available. At the present time, numerous initiatives are being undertaken by physicians and by governments in an attempt to redress this situation. In addition, alternative approaches to antibiotics for the treatment of infectious diseases are being explored intensively.
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spelling doaj-art-4e9106bcdfad4e009983802037fdeca72025-08-20T02:05:36ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology1712-95322006-01-0117528729010.1155/2006/707296Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?Julian DaviesThe discovery of antibiotics some 60 years ago was anticipated to herald the end of infectious diseases. However, microbial evolution and genetic jugglery have dispelled this notion; the constant increase in the appearance of resistant strains has not been matched by the introduction of new therapeutic agents. On the contrary, the dire need for novel antibiotics has coincided with a reduction in antibiotic discovery programs in the pharmaceutical industry. As a result, the treatment of microbial diseases has reached a point where many infections are essentially untreatable by the antimicrobial agents currently available. At the present time, numerous initiatives are being undertaken by physicians and by governments in an attempt to redress this situation. In addition, alternative approaches to antibiotics for the treatment of infectious diseases are being explored intensively.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2006/707296
spellingShingle Julian Davies
Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
title Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?
title_full Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?
title_fullStr Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?
title_full_unstemmed Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?
title_short Where Have all the Antibiotics Gone?
title_sort where have all the antibiotics gone
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2006/707296
work_keys_str_mv AT juliandavies wherehavealltheantibioticsgone