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Abstract
Since development of the first antimicrobial agents in the 1940s, antimicrobial resistance has been an issue. Following the introduction of sulfonamides and penicillin, scientists discovered and developed a wide range of antimicrobials for treatment of bacterial diseases. Many new antimicrobials were discovered by systematic testing of soil microbes and many others were developed by chemical modification of existing agents. Discovery of new classes of antibacterial drugs slowed in the late 1960s. However, the speed with which bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, in contrast with the slow development of new drugs, has led some experts to warn of a "post-antibiotic era." Judicious use of currently available antibiotics, through efforts such as public campaigns for 'appropriate antibiotic use', may help to conserve their effectiveness. However, even if we improve these practices, development of resistant bacteria will continue to occur, and new and better drugs will be needed. Clearly, a combination of traditional successful methods and modern technology will be needed for discovery and development of new classes of antibacterial drugs. In addition, policies that encourage and facilitate development of new antimicrobial agents are also needed.
Figures and Tables
Figure 1
New antibacterial agents approved by the FDA in the U.S from 1983 to 2005 (Data from Ref. 3).
Figure 2
Introduction of new classes of antibiotics for human use from 1930 to 2010 (Beta-lactams include three groups sometimes identified as separate classes: penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems).
Table 1
Timelinea of Antimicrobial Therapy
aData from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_antibiotics]
bThe year shown indicates when a given drug was released onto the pharmaceutical market. This is not a timeline of the development of the antibiotics themselves.
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