Do we need new antibiotics?

Abstract

For several years, alarmist articles both in mass media and in the scientific community have reported an increase in antibiotic resistance, even citing an inability to treat patients infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) responsible for high mortality worldwide. In this review we summarize and discuss the key points associated with the reality of (i) the existence of pandrug-resistant bacteria, (ii) the increase of resistance worldwide, (iii) the link between resistance and death, and (iv) the need to develop new antibiotics. Data on antibiotic resistance in Europe for the main bacteria associated with invasive infections apparently demonstrate that apart from Klebsiella pneumoniae, which is resistant to carbapenems in three countries (Romania, Italy and Greece), the level of resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics (defined as MDR phenotype) has remained low and stable over the last 5 years and that therapeutic options exist both for reference antibiotics and for old antibiotics. The clinical outcome of patients infected by MDR bacteria remains controversial and death rates attributable to MDR bacteria versus non-MDR bacteria are still debated. The arsenal of antibiotics currently available (including 'old antibiotics') suffices for facing the waves of emergence of new bacterial resistance and should be considered as a World Heritage. This heritage should be managed in a non-profit model with international regulatory approval.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; old antibiotics.