β-lactam antibiotics are a key element in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the excessive use of these antibiotics has contributed to the emergence of β-lactam-resistant enterobacteria, including Escherichia coli. One of the main challenges facing the public health sector is antibacterial resistance (ABR), mainly due to limited options in its pharmacological treatment. Currently, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) present an alarming situation, as there is an increase in morbidity and mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and increased costs for sanitary supplies, which involve not only humans but also the environment and animals, especially animals destined for food production. This review presents an analysis of the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli and its distribution in different animal sources throughout the world, providing an understanding of the association with resistance and virulence genes, as well as perceiving the population structure of E. coli.

ESKAPE bacteria represent a group of opportunistic bacterial pathogens that display widespread antimicrobial resistance, including resistance to the last-line antibiotics, thereby posing a significant clinical implication globally. Anthropogenic activities, such as wastewater from hospitals, livestock farms, crop fields, and wastewater treatment plants, contribute to the dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens into the environment. Surface water sources, including river waters, act as critical points of discharge for wastewater, pollutants, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARG). These environmental factors, along with others, facilitate the dissemination and survival of ARBs, as well as promote the exchange of ARGs. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend the current environmental landscape concerning the prevalence and persistence of resistant bacteria, particularly those belonging to the ESKAPE group. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current dissemination and characterization of ESKAPE bacteria in surface water and wastewater sources.

Currently, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious health problem in the world, mainly because of the rapid spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. These include bacteria that produce β-lactamases, which confer resistance to β-lactams, the antibiotics with the most prescriptions in the world. Carbapenems are particularly noteworthy because they are considered the ultimate therapeutic option for MDR bacteria. However, this group of antibiotics can also be hydrolyzed by β-lactamases, including metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), which have one or two zinc ions (Zn²⁺) on the active site and are resistant to common inhibitors of serine β-lactamases, such as clavulanic acid, sulbactam, tazobactam, and avibactam. Therefore, the design of inhibitors against MBLs has been directed toward various compounds, with groups such as nitrogen, thiols, and metal-binding carboxylates, or compounds such as bicyclic boronates that mimic hydrolysis intermediates. Other compounds, such as dipicolinic acid and aspergillomarasmin A, have also been shown to inhibit MBLs by chelating Zn^2+. In fact, recent inhibitors are based on Zn²⁺ chelation, which is an important factor in the mechanism of action of most MBL inhibitors. Therefore, in this review, we analyzed the current strategies for the design and mechanism of action of metal-ion-binding inhibitors that combat MDR bacteria.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative pathogen of tuberculosis, remains one of the leading causes of death from a single infectious agent. Furthermore, the growing evolution to multi-drug-resistant (MDR) strains requires de novo identification of drug targets for evaluating candidates or repurposing drugs. Hence, targeting FtsZ, an essential cell division protein, is a promising target. Methods: Using an in silico pharmacological repositioning strategy, four FDA-based drugs that bind to the catalytic site FtsZ were selected. The Alamar Blue colorimetric assay was used to assess antimicrobial activity and the effect of drugs on Mtb growth through growth curves. Bacterial load was determined with an in vitro infection model using colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, and cytotoxicity on human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMhs) was assessed by flow cytometry. Results: Paroxetine and nebivolol exhibited antimycobacterial activity against both reference TB and MDR strains at a concentration of 25 µg/mL. Furthermore, both paroxetine and nebivolol demonstrated a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in viable bacteria compared to the untreated group in the in vitro infection model. Conclusions: Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the use of paroxetine and nebivolol is a promising strategy to help in the control of tuberculosis infection.