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Since the discovery of penicillin, antibiotics have been a cornerstone in modern medicine and significantly improved global health. And while decades of overuse, misuse and abuse of antibiotics in hospitals, and in general population, at an ever increasing rate, both when they are needed and when they are not, in human beings and animals have accelerated the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in veterinary practice, and in animal feeds led to emergence of drug resistant strains, that are transferred to humans. This emergence of drug resistance is a major problem worldwide in antibiotic therapy. Infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to the standard treatment, resulting in prolonged illness, longer hospital stays, higher healthcare expenditures, and greater risk of death. This article reviews and focuses on various aspects of development and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, and preventive measures to fight the emerging antibiotic resistance threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neonatal sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of newborns (< 1 month of age). Septicemia and drug resistance is a predominant issue for neonatal death in Nepal. This study is intended to find bacteriological profile of neonatal sepsis and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates from neonates at Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Results: Out of 350 suspected cases of neonatal sepsis, 59 (16.9%) cases showed positive blood culture. The prevalent of positive blood culture with different neonatal risk factors (sex, age, birth weight, gestational age, and delivery mode) showed highest positive bacterial growth in male (52.3%); 3 or above 3 days age (71.2%); low birth weight (62.7%); preterm gestational age (31.4%); and caesarean delivery mode (63.3%). Among positive cases, the bacteriological profile was found highest for Staphylococcus aureus (35.6%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.3%). The most sensitive and resistive antibiotics among Gram-positive isolates were gentamicin (93%) and ampicillin (78%), respectively. Meropenem and imipenem showed highest 100% effective and cefotaxime was least (28%) sensitive among Gram-negative isolates. This concludes broad ranges of bacteria are associated with neonatal sepsis and revealed variation in antibiotic susceptibility pattern among bacterial isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]