Antimicrobials are a cornerstone of the medical armamentarium due to the
increased prevalence of infectious diseases, particularly those caused by drug-resistant
pathogens. As organisms that infect humans become smarter through the development
of different resistance mechanisms to some of the currently available antimicrobials,
the development of new agents with novel mechanisms of action becomes imperative.
Many antimicrobials, including antibacterials, antifungals, and antiparasitics, have
recently been approved for clinical use or are currently at some stage in the pipeline.
This chapter provides a brief description of these antimicrobials with regards to their
mechanisms of action, spectra of activity, indications, and pharmaceutical formulations
and describes whether they were recently approved or are currently under development
or in clinical trials. The wise use of these antimicrobials is essential to maintain their
effectiveness for more tenacious infections.
Keywords: Antibacterial, Antibiotic, Antifungal, Antimicrobial, Antiparasitic,
Antiprotozoal, β-lactamase, Development, Novel, Pipeline, Resistance, Trials.
