Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections

Lancet. 2025 Jan 18;405(10474):257-272. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02081-6.

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections cause significant morbidity and mortality globally. These pathogens easily acquire antimicrobial resistance (AMR), further highlighting their clinical significance. Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (eg, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp), multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii are the most problematic and have been identified as priority pathogens. In response, several new diagnostic technologies aimed at rapidly detecting AMR have been developed, including biochemical, molecular, genomic, and proteomic techniques. The last decade has also seen the licensing of multiple antibiotics that have changed the treatment landscape for these challenging infections.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents