Anotace:
Antibiotics are drugs that have been used to treat bacterial infections since their discovery in the early 20th century. However, antibiotics are becoming less effective or even ineffective for treating bacterial infections due to bacterial mutation and adaptation. Nowadays, antibiotic resistance is becoming a global threat as it increases continuously, while antibiotic development remains stagnant due to high research costs and slow approval processes. Antibiotic resistance correlates with antibiotic overdoses, which can be caused by many factors, for instance, self-medication, overuse, etc. Therefore, we should consider this condition a serious issue that we should be aware of. To control or reduce the rate of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we need improved infection prevention measures and more accurate diagnostic tools. These can help cope with the currently available antibiotic agents. The main purpose of this article is to summarize current knowledge about antibiotics and provide up-to-date data on the antibiotic resistance crisis, which has caused millions of deaths worldwide, including over three hundred thousand in South Asia. This review article mentions the causes, the environmental factors, the consequences, the mechanisms, the transmissions, the strategies, and lastly, case studies focusing on Southeast Asia. Moreover, future directions are also discussed for further discussion and alternative purposes.