Antibiotic resistance in microorganisms has become a critical health issue and has evolved to become a worldwide health threat. Over a decade, the resistance level of bacteria has increased many folds due to various factors, accounting to the added pressure on the environmental pollutions. When bacteria become resistant to an antibiotic, that medicine becomes less effective. Medical treatment of people infected with drug-resistant organisms can become more complicated, leading to longer hospital stays, increased health care costs, and in extreme cases, to untreatable infections. Prevention of antibiotic drug resistance can be achieved by rational uses according to the instructions of medical practitioners, by educating mass publics and health care workers, also by using combined therapy, alternative treatments or search for new resources.This review focuses on the history of development of antibiotics, the broad mechanism of antibiotic resistance and enlists some of the factors which contribute to the resistance and alternative ways to overcome resistances.
