The antibiotic resistome: what's new?

Julie Ann Perry; Erin Louise Westman; Gerard D Wright

doi:10.1016/j.mib.2014.09.002

The antibiotic resistome: what's new?

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2014 Oct:21:45-50. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2014.09.002. Epub 2014 Sep 30.

Authors

Julie Ann Perry¹, Erin Louise Westman¹, Gerard D Wright²

Affiliations

¹ M. G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1.
² M. G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 25280222
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2014.09.002

Abstract

The antibiotic resistome is dynamic and ever expanding, yet its foundations were laid long before the introduction of antibiotics into clinical practice. Here, we revisit our theoretical framework for the resistome concept and consider the many factors that influence the evolution of novel resistance genes, the spread of mobile resistance elements, and the ramifications of these processes for clinical practice. Observing the trends and prevalence of genes within the antibiotic resistome is key to maintaining the efficacy of antibiotics in the clinic.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
Bacteria / drug effects
Bacteria / genetics*
Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
Gene Transfer, Horizontal
Genes, Bacterial / physiology

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada