Antibiotics are invaluable tools for treating numerous bacterial infections. However, their prolonged use can profoundly disrupt the commensal microbiota, increasing the risk of subsequent bacterial and even fungal infections.
Once antibiotic treatmen ends, the microbiota typically tends to returns towards its initial state. However, this recovery may prove incomplete, leading to long-lasting changes in species abundance, metabolic activity and antibiotic resistance levels.
This review, published in Nature Microbiology, delves into the mechanisms by which antibiotic therapy may facilitate subsequent infections, contribute to the overgrowth of resistant microorganisms, and introduces novel strategies aimed at mitigating the collateral damage attributed to antibiotics.
This article is a must-read!
Reference
de Nies L, Kobras CM, Stracy M. Antibiotic-induced collateral damage to the microbiota and associated infections. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023
About the author
Dr. Aline Santana is a Brazilian veterinarian with over 12 years of experience in both research and private dermatology practice. In 2021, she completed her PhD in veterinary dermatology at the University of São Paulo (Brazil), with a sandwich period at the University of Minnesota, where she conducted research on the skin microbiome of cats. Since 2012, she has been an active member of the Brazilian Society of Veterinary Dermatology (SBDV). From 2015 to 2021, Dr. Santana served as the director of social media marketing, contributing to the organization's outreach and communication efforts.
