Antibiotic resistance in Bangladesh: A current epilogue, and a systematic review

Abstract

The earth is on the edge of reverting to the 'pre-antibiotics era' because of developing resistance to life-saving antimicrobial medicines, with significant consequences for both individual and public health (Hoque et al., 2020). “Antibiotic resistance is one of the major public health issues, particularly in developing countries where relatively easy access and higher consumption of medicines have resulted in a disproportionately higher incidence of inappropriate antibiotic use and higher levels of resistance compared to developed countries” (Kumar et al., 2013). The widespread usage of antibiotics both therapeutically and nontherapeutically has led to the development and dissemination of microbial resistance, and resistance genes are the determinants both in the clinical and non-clinical settings (Igbinosa and Odjadjare, 2015). The most prominent causes of antibiotic resistance are a constant inability to enhance or discover new antibiotics, as well as the indiscriminate use of antibiotics (Aslam et al., 2018). AMR poses a substantial risk of mortality and economic instability worldwide. “In contrast, the developing countries are more affected because of the widespread misuse of antibiotics, nonhuman antibiotic use, low quality of drugs, inadequate surveillance, and factors associated with individual and national poverty (poor healthcare standards, malnutrition, chronic and recurring infections, unaffordability of efficient and expensive medications)” (Ayukekbong et al., 2017; Sosa et al., 2010).