The Impact of Limited Resources on Antibiotic Resistance in Developing Countries

Antibiotic resistance is a pressing issue within the realm of global health, posing significant challenges, particularly in developing countries. The natural emergence and hastened spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria present profound obstacles, exacerbated by suboptimal healthcare infrastructure and resource limitations.

Predominantly exacerbated by unsupervised antimicrobial use, resistance amplifies difficulties in treating infections, leading to prolonged hospitalization and increased mortality. Pathogens such as Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp — collectively known as ESKAPE pathogens— recurrently threaten global health security by diminishing therapeutic avenues.

In developing regions of Africa, Asia, and areas of Southern Europe, the rates of resistance, notably ESBL and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, are alarmingly high. This could be related to insufficient staff education and resources, limiting the possibility for early detection which consequently enables the spread of pathogens. Moreover, lapses in antibiotic prescription control, hospital hygiene and surveillance and overcrowded hospital units contribute to the spread of resistant bacteria in developing countries.
The poor sanitary conditions of rural and urban families observed in certain regions in Africa and Asia may facilitate the transmission of bacterial infections between animals and humans, including those promoted by strains resistant to practically all available antibiotics.

Also, many new antibiotics which exert activity against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are still not available in developing countries, limiting the therapeutic options. This alarming situation underscores the urgent need for enhanced strategies, ranging from diagnostics to education, to curb the spread.

This Research Topic aims to elucidate the harrowing impact of multidrug-resistant bacteria within low-income regions and promote solutions for mitigation. By probing into how compromised healthcare systems in these areas contribute to unchecked antibiotic resistance, the research seeks to address knowledge gaps and augment current strategies.

Pertinent questions include: What roles do socioeconomic conditions play in exacerbating bacterial resistance? How can we enhance the diagnosis and containment techniques within resource-constrained settings? Furthermore, the research aims to explore the efficacy and accessibility of novel antibiotics in countries with high resistance issues.

To gather further insights in this complex issue mostly affecting low-resource settings, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:

o Extended-spectrum β-lactamases in developing countries
o Carbapenemases in Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii in low-income
countries
o Gram-positive multidrug-resistant bacteria: MRSA and VRE in developing countries
o Laboratory detection of antibiotic resistance in low-income countries
o Management of infections associated with multidrug-resistant bacteria, antibiotic policy, and surveillance
strategies in developing countries.
o Infection control measures in developing countries
o Antibiotic consumption and multidrug-bacteria in developing countries
o Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals
o Effect of infrastructural problems and lack of clean water on diffusion of antibiotic resistance determinants
among Gram-negative bacteria

In this Research Topic we accept the following article types: Mini Review, Original Research, Review, Systematic Review.

Keywords: multidrug-resistant bacteria, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, extended-spectrum β-lactamases, carbapenemases, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, colistin-resitance, low- income countries, developing countries, antibiotic overuse and misuse, antibiotic consumption

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.