The Increasing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance In India: A Comprehensive Review

  • Unique Paper ID: 191457
  • PageNo: 6585-6591
  • Abstract:
  • Antibiotic resistance in India has reached crisis levels, with routine infections – including urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and sepsis increasingly untreatable by standard drugs. Surveillance data show that commonly used antimicrobials (e.g. beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems) have lost efficacy against key Gram-negative pathogens (E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and even Gram-positive cocci (enterococci). Globally, one in six bacterial infections is now drug-resistant, foreshadowing millions of deaths by 2050. Here we review laboratory methods for resistance testing, summarize dominant pathogens and resistance patterns in Indian clinical settings, and examine the consequences and drivers of this pandemic. Tables summarize resistance levels by antibiotic class and pathogen. We conclude with strategic recommendations for surveillance, stewardship, and innovation to avert a “post-antibiotic” era.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{191457,
        author = {Harshit Sharma and Mahin Khan},
        title = {The Increasing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance In India: A Comprehensive Review},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {6585-6591},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=191457},
        abstract = {Antibiotic resistance in India has reached crisis levels, with routine infections – including urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, and sepsis increasingly untreatable by standard drugs. Surveillance data show that commonly used antimicrobials (e.g. beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems) have lost efficacy against key Gram-negative pathogens (E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and even Gram-positive cocci (enterococci). Globally, one in six bacterial infections is now drug-resistant, foreshadowing millions of deaths by 2050. Here we review laboratory methods for resistance testing, summarize dominant pathogens and resistance patterns in Indian clinical settings, and examine the consequences and drivers of this pandemic. Tables summarize resistance levels by antibiotic class and pathogen. We conclude with strategic recommendations for surveillance, stewardship, and innovation to avert a “post-antibiotic” era.},
        keywords = {Antimicrobial resistance, Antibiotic stewardship, Multidrug-resistant bacteria, Gram-negative pathogens, India, Hospital infections.},
        month = {January},
        }

Cite This Article

Sharma, H., & Khan, M. (2026). The Increasing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance In India: A Comprehensive Review. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT). https://doi.org/doi.org/10.64643/IJIRTV12I8-191457-459

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