RESISTÊNCIA BACTERIANA A ANTIBIÓTICOS: UMA REVISÃO

Abstract

Antibiotics are substances whose main function is to fight infections caused by microorganisms acting on specific microbial targets, such as cell wall, protein and acid nucleic synthesis, among others. To survive this specific attack, bacteria develop mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobials. This resistance happens when the bacteria changes its genes, interfering with the action of the antibiotic, which can occur through DNA mutation or plasmid transfer. The excessive use of antibiotics can cause a selection of resistant microorganisms that survive the treatment, which can multiply, spread diseases and even lead to death. That is why bacterial resistance to antibiotics is one of the most growing and relevant public health problems in the world nowadays. Therefore, bringing current information on this topic is of paramount importance for raising the population's awareness and consequent adoption of preventive measures, which collaborate to combat the development of microbial resistance to antibiotics.