# Mechanisms of Bacterial Resistance and Innovative Strategies to Overcome Antimicrobial Resistance

**Authors:** Irene Dini

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics15030319 · Antibiotics · 2026-03-20

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and explores new strategies to combat this growing threat to food safety and human health.

## Contribution

The paper introduces innovative antimicrobial strategies and emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and global cooperation.

## Key findings

- Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are prevalent in both animal- and plant-based foods.
- New technologies like antimicrobial peptides and nanomaterials show promise in overcoming resistance.
- Global cooperation and standardized methods are needed to address antimicrobial resistance effectively.

## Abstract

Widespread, sometimes careless use of antibiotics has accelerated the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. These resistant bacteria are now often found in animal-based foods like meat, milk, and eggs, as well as in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables. Contaminated food is a key way these bacteria travel through the food chain and eventually reach people. This review brings together global trends in antibiotic contamination, explains the molecular mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance, and examines current approaches to addressing this problem. It also highlights new technologies that could work alongside or improve on traditional antibiotics. Some promising options are antimicrobial peptides, natural bioactive compounds, nanomaterials, and monoclonal antibody-based therapies. Tackling antimicrobial resistance requires teamwork across fields such as microbiology, food science, pharmacology, environmental science, and public health. Future research should strengthen global surveillance, standardize resistance-assessment methods, expand studies on non-bacterial pathogens, and ensure rigorous evaluation of novel therapies for pharmacokinetics, toxicity, scalability, and regulatory compliance. Ongoing global cooperation and new scientific ideas are crucial to slow the spread of resistant microbes and protect food safety and human health.

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** beta-lactamase [NCBI Gene 13913583], bla [NCBI Gene 3244915], cat [NCBI Gene 2847485], DHPS [NCBI Gene 13906535], rpoB [NCBI Gene 888164], folP [NCBI Gene 20466880], dihydropteroate synthase [NCBI Gene 20491868]
- **Diseases:** bacterial or fungal infections (MESH:D009181), constipation (MESH:D003248), tuberculosis (MESH:D014376), depression (MESH:D003866), Antibiotic (MESH:D004761), bacterial (MESH:D001424), death (MESH:D003643), pneumonia (MESH:D011014), infection (MESH:D007239), nausea (MESH:D009325), injury to (MESH:D014947), dermatitis (MESH:D003872), flatulence (MESH:D005414), HIV (MESH:D015658), pulmonary infections (MESH:D012141), Alchemilla vulgaris (MESH:D016112), mitochondrial dysfunction (MESH:D028361), Gastrointestinal discomfort (MESH:D005767), AMR (MESH:D060467), dysbiosis (MESH:D064806), cytotoxicity (MESH:D064420), organ damage (MESH:D000092124), mucosal irritation (MESH:D001523), neurotoxic (MESH:D020258), abdominal discomfort (MESH:D000007), heartburn (MESH:D006356), insomnia (MESH:D007319), psychomotor agitation (MESH:D011595), illness (MESH:D002908), neurological and liver damage (MESH:D020196), hemolysis (MESH:D006461), developmental and reproductive toxicity (MESH:D060737), genitourinary infections (MESH:D014564), metabolic, inflammatory, and immune diseases (MESH:D008659), syphilis (MESH:D013587), edema (MESH:D004487), anxiety (MESH:D001007), Multidrug (MESH:D018088), hepatic and renal degeneration (MESH:D009410), inflammatory (MESH:D007249), skin irritation (MESH:D012871), vomiting (MESH:D014839), allergic (MESH:D004342), urticaria (MESH:D014581), asthma (MESH:D001249), diarrhea (MESH:D003967), Infectious Disease (MESH:D003141), MRSA (MESH:D013203), influenza (MESH:D007251)
- **Chemicals:** Phenols (MESH:D010636), oxygen (MESH:D010100), pyrroles (MESH:D011758), Terpenes (MESH:D013729), tetracyclines (MESH:D013754), nitrofurans (MESH:D009581), carbon (MESH:D002244), rifampicin (MESH:D012293), methionine (MESH:D008715), monobactams (MESH:D008997), lacosamides (MESH:D000078334), chloramphenicol (MESH:D002701), amoxicillin (MESH:D000658), Indole alkaloids (MESH:D026121), streptomycin (MESH:D013307), polycaprolactam (MESH:C000362), benzene (MESH:D001554), teicoplanin (MESH:D017334), Polymer (MESH:D011108), dalbavancin (MESH:C469289), quinone (MESH:C004532), D-Ala-D-Ser (-), Methicillin (MESH:D008712), aldehydes (MESH:D000447), glycosides (MESH:D006027), isoprene (MESH:C005059), isoquinolines (MESH:D007546), lipoteichoic acid (MESH:C009900), pyridines (MESH:D011725), Fosfomycin (MESH:D005578), oritavancin (MESH:C100708), triglycerides (MESH:D014280), quinolones (MESH:D015363), ketones (MESH:D007659), corbomycin (MESH:C000708275), UA (MESH:C005466), chelerythrine (MESH:C016299), silver (MESH:D012834), bezlotoxumab (MESH:C000613978), glycan (MESH:D011134), aglycone (MESH:C458179), lipid A (MESH:D008050), gold (MESH:D006046), quinolizidine (MESH:D054837), carbapenem (MESH:D015780), methylxanthine (MESH:C008514), beta-Lactam (MESH:D047090), ajoene (MESH:C048980), lipid (MESH:D008055), chitosan (MESH:D048271), ampicillin (MESH:D000667), zinc oxide (MESH:D015034), oxazolidinones (MESH:D023303), iron (MESH:D007501), sanguinarine (MESH:C005705), acyl-homoserine lactone (MESH:D054742), telavancin (MESH:C487637), fusidic acid (MESH:D005672), trimethoprim (MESH:D014295), triterpenoid (MESH:D014315)
- **Species:** Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Allium schoenoprasum (chive, species) [taxon 74900], Acinetobacter sp. (species) [taxon 472], Campylobacter jejuni (species) [taxon 197], Meleagris gallopavo (common turkey, species) [taxon 9103], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Staphylococcus aureus (species) [taxon 1280], Salmonella (genus) [taxon 590], Bacillus cereus (species) [taxon 1396], Enterococcus faecium (species) [taxon 1352], Cutibacterium acnes (species) [taxon 1747], Candida albicans (species) [taxon 5476], Bacillus anthracis (anthrax bacterium, species) [taxon 1392], Mycobacterium tuberculosis (species) [taxon 1773], Combretum (genus) [taxon 99434], Fungi (kingdom) [taxon 4751], Proteus sp. (in: enterobacteria) (species) [taxon 229037], Holarrhena (genus) [taxon 69380], Listeria monocytogenes (species) [taxon 1639], Allium cepa (onion, species) [taxon 4679], Aplysina fistularis (species) [taxon 202113], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Allium sativum (garlic, species) [taxon 4682], Proteus mirabilis (species) [taxon 584], Allium ampeloprasum (leek, species) [taxon 4681], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (species) [taxon 287], Enterobacteriaceae (enterobacteria, family) [taxon 543], Trichoderma (genus) [taxon 5543], Enterobacter (genus) [taxon 547], Acinetobacter baumannii (species) [taxon 470], Burkholderia (genus) [taxon 32008], Enterococcus faecalis (species) [taxon 1351], PX clade (clade) [taxon 569578], Spinacia oleracea (spinach, species) [taxon 3562], Streptococcus pneumoniae (species) [taxon 1313], Serratia marcescens (species) [taxon 615], Sophora tonkinensis (species) [taxon 714503], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932], Bacillus subtilis (species) [taxon 1423], Escherichia coli (E. coli, species) [taxon 562], Bacteriophage sp. (species) [taxon 38018], Klebsiella pneumoniae (species) [taxon 573]
- **Mutations:** Cys115 with Asp

## Full text

_Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13023656/full.md

## Figures

34 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13023656/full.md

## References

221 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13023656/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13023656