Antimicrobials are agents that kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms, encompassing antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics used to prevent and treat infectious disease. They act through diverse mechanisms, including disruption of the microbial cell wall or membrane, inhibition of protein, …
Antimicrobials are agents that kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms, encompassing antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics used to prevent and treat infectious disease. They act through diverse mechanisms, including disruption of the microbial cell wall or membrane, inhibition of protein, nucleic acid, or folate synthesis, and interference with essential metabolic pathways, and they may be classified by chemical structure, spectrum of activity, or whether they are microbicidal or microbistatic. Sources range from naturally derived compounds, including substances extracted from plant leaves, stem bark, and roots that show antimicrobial activity, to semisynthetic and fully synthetic drugs. A central contemporary challenge is antimicrobial resistance, in which microorganisms evolve mechanisms such as enzymatic drug inactivation, target modification, efflux, and reduced permeability, eroding the effectiveness of existing treatments. Resistance is studied through situational analyses across health districts, surveillance of resistant organisms in clinical and veterinary settings, and detection of specific resistance mechanisms such as carbapenem inactivation. Drivers include inappropriate prescribing, self-medication, and unregulated drug storage and use, prompting antimicrobial stewardship programs that promote rational prescribing, restriction of unnecessary use, and education of clinicians. Effective deployment of antimicrobials therefore depends not only on discovering and developing new agents but also on preserving current ones through stewardship, surveillance, and infection prevention.
8 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 8 articles above have been cited 40 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Antimicrobials, linking to each citing work.