Aminoglycoside antibiotics: Trying to find a place in this world

Abstract

Aminoglycoside antibiotics were historically a cornerstone of antimicrobial therapy for many bacterial infections but as the threat of antimicrobial resistance continues to rise, the once broad-spectrum activity of these agents grows smaller. They are also plagued with the potential for severe adverse events such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, and emerging evidence suggests that these risks may outweigh their benefit in many cases. With the recent introduction of newer and likely safer broad-spectrum antibiotics, do aminoglycosides still have a place in therapy in modern medicine?