Emerging and Re-Emerging Bacterial Infections: An Overview

Abstract

Bacterial infections have been a major cause of morbidity and mortality for centuries, and they continue to evolve and pose new challenges to public health. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of emerging and re-emerging bacterial infections, many of which are resistant to antibiotics and difficult to diagnose and treat. Examples of emerging bacteria include Corynebactherium diphtheria, Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), vibrio v u l n i f i c u s , v a n c o m y c i n - r e s i s t a n t Staphylococcus aureus, multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneunoniae, Drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Examples of re-emerging bacteria include multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, Yersinia pestis, Salmonella serovars, Bartonella spp, Brucella hensalae, Neisseria meningitidis, Clostridium difficile. The emergence and re-emergence of bacterial diseases are attributed to several factors, including antibiotic resistance due to the misuse of antibiotics, socio-demographic alterations, global development, human tour and conduct, ecological alteration, decreased vaccine uptake, microbial film formation, and invasion of microorganisms ecosystems. Various measures need to be implemented to address the prevalence of emerging and re-emerging bacterial infections in Nigeria. These encompass fortifying medical facilities, augmenting medical expertise, advancing monitoring systems, advocating immunization initiatives, executing efficient management strategies, and establishing a one-wellness approach to improve diagnostics skills.