Post-antibiotic era is a worldwide challenge for health care: what to do ?

Medical Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, A.M.U, Aligarh 202002 India *Author for correspondence: asad.k@rediffmail.com Submitted Date: 12-May-2017 Accepted Date: 16-May-2017 Published Date: 19-May-2017 Letter to Editor In this 21st century, antibiotics are almost worn out due to global antibiotic resistance scenario. It has become a worldwide concern to cope with the existing situation, where, even last resorts of antibiotics are not effective against common infections. After the discovery of New-Delhi Metallo β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) and its variants, evolving mutants, it is becoming difficult to use any β-lactam antibiotics, even carbapenems. Moreover, the use of colistin/polymyxin was one of the optimism to control such infections but MCR-1 discovery has turned down that prospect. Antibiotic resistance has now been recognized as serious global menace of 21st century to the mankind. Therefore, WHO has declared it as the priority research area and a “Global Action plan on antibiotic resistance” has already been launched to prevent this disaster taking to pre-antibiotic era.