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An Industry Perspective

Ian Chopra, DSc; John Hodgson; Brian Metcalf, PhD; George Poste, DSc

JAMA. 1996;275(5):401-403.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

The Emergence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Its Consequences

One of the most remarkable accomplishments of this century has been the successful development of antibiotics for the chemotherapy of bacterial infections.¹ These agents have produced impressive reductions in the morbidity and mortality imposed by microbial pathogens. Unfortunately, the increasing widespread emergence of acquired resistance to antibiotics over the last 40 years now constitutes a serious threat to global public health^1-3 and is a growing problem in both hospital-acquired (nosocomial) and community-acquired infections. The antibiotic resistance problem is exacerbated by the genetic exchange of resistance determinants among bacteria.^1-3 In addition, demographic factors, such as population growth and urbanization, generate conditions that may facilitate the transmission of infections. New opportunities for interspecies traffic of new pathogens to human beings may occur as a consequence of human colonization in previously undisturbed rural ecosystems and accompanying perturbation in host-pathogen ecology.⁴ Bacterial . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Betchworth, United Kingdom (Dr Chopra); Epsom, United Kingdom (Mr Hodgson); and Upper Merion, Pa (Drs Metcalf and Poste). Dr Chopra is no longer with SmithKline Beecham.

Footnotes
This article is one of a series addressing emerging and reemerging global microbial threats.

Corresponding author: John Hodgson, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research & Development, Yew Tree Bottom Rd, Epsom, Surrey, United Kingdom KT18 5X0.

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