Antimicrobial Resistance in Foodborne Pathogens

Abstract Resistance of human pathogens to currently used antimicrobial drugs is an increasing health and economic problem worldwide. Bacteria may possess innate resistance to an antimicrobial or they may acquire resistance from other bacteria. Acquired resistance arises from: (1) mutations in cell genes (chromosomal mutation) leading to cross-resistance and (2) gene transfer from one microorganism to other by plasmids (conjugation or transformation), transposons (conjugation), integrons, and bacteriophages (transduction). Bacteria use different biochemical types of resistance mechanisms: antibiotic inactivation, target modification, or active removal of the antibiotic from the cell by efflux pumps. This continual concern about evolving antibiotic resistance requires that new strategies must be developed to combat antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of public health significance.