Abstract
Antibiotic resistance bacteria developed abilities to resist antibiotics designed to kill them and mainly spread in hospitals compared to community. One of the biggest risks is getting an antibiotic-resistant infection from healthcare facility such as a hospital where patients are exposed to antibiotics. Moreover, resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat speciallyin immunocompromised patients Prevention of the spread of resistant bacteria can be done by recommended practices for identifying these bacteria, cleaning hands, wearing gowns and gloves, and cleaning medical equipment in addition to patient care areas. This article reviews the relevant knowledge of the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of resistant bacteria in Saudi Arabia. Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDR-GN) bacteria are serious threats to public health especially extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa which increased morbidity and mortality in hospitals. These pathogens raise serious concern in both hospitals and community settings and have become endemic in many tertiary hospitals and health care units worldwide. Moreover, the emergence and rapid spread of MDR-GN bacteria in hospitals have a significant impact on treatment outcomes and pose challenges to health care systems and medical care cost and effectiveness.