Current and emerging issues in nosocomial infections and antibiotic resistance

Abstract

Antibiotic resistant pathogens are a major cause of nosocomial infections and exhibit an extraordinary ability to constantly adapt and acquire resistance determinants to overcome the effects of commonly prescribed antimicrobials. Glycopeptide resistant Enterococcus faecium, multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium difficile and Escherichia coli are all pathogens of clinical interest, increasing in prevalence and causing large outbreaks of infection within hospitals. On the other hand, the emerging potential of vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and linezolid resistance in Gram-positive pathogens to follow suite provides a serious concern for the future treatment of hospital-acquired infections.