Tag: Mdr bacteria

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year. This public health threat makes the seemingly simple question of “What's the most powerful antibiotic?” far more complex than it appears, with the answer depending entirely on the specific infection being treated.

Originally discovered in the 1960s, fosfomycin has a unique mechanism of action that makes it an effective antibiotic for certain infections. Primarily known for its role in treating uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) with a single oral dose, recent interest has expanded its use to include more serious, multi-drug resistant conditions.

According to one meta-analysis, colistin is associated with an 82% higher incidence of acute kidney injury compared to other antibiotics for treating multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections. This makes understanding **how to prevent colistin-induced nephrotoxicity** a critical skill for clinicians managing these challenging cases.

Originally abandoned in the 1970s due to severe toxic side effects, colistin, or polymyxin E, has re-emerged as a crucial 'last-resort' antibiotic for treating multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. This resurgence has made understanding what class of drug is colistin, its unique mechanism, and its risks a critical aspect of modern pharmacology.

Polymyxins, discovered in 1947, have resurged as a crucial "last-line" defense against extremely multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria due to their distinctive mechanism of action. This resurgence has brought renewed focus on the question: *What is polymyxin?* This class of antibiotics represents an important tool for serious infections when other options have failed.