Collection 

Antimicrobial Resistance

Resistance to antimicrobials is a global problem of increasing importance. Pathogens rapidly develop mutations that render current treatments ineffective. For example, resistance to carbapenems, one of the ‘last lines’ of antibiotics, is widespread and has been observed in numerous countries; resistance to artemisinin, the gold standard in malaria treatment, has also emerged. Our current arsenal of antimicrobial agents thus has a limited lifespan and new drugs are urgently needed. Tackling this resistance will require a deep understanding of microbial infections and the mechanisms through which resistance arises, as well as concerted efforts between academia and industry aimed at developing novel antimicrobial agents.

The content for this site has been chosen by the editors of several Nature journals and the collection of review articles have been made freely available for 6 months, thanks to support from Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. The editors have also selected a wide range of additional and related content to supplement the collection and provide a comprehensive resource on antimicrobial resistance.

This collection has been produced with support from Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. As always, Nature Publishing Group retains sole responsibility for all editorial content.

Image © Philip Patenall, Nature Research Group

Diverse microorganisms and drugs

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