Introduction: Superbugs are microorganisms that cause disease and have increased resistance to the treatments typically used against infections. Recently, antibiotic resistance development has been more rapid than the pace at which antibiotics are manufactured, leading to refractory infections. Scientists are concerned that a particularly virulent and lethal 'superbug' will one day join the ranks of existing bacteria that cause incurable diseases, resulting in a global health disaster on the scale of the Black Death.

Areas covered: This study highlights the current developments in the management of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and recommends strategies for further regulating antibiotic-resistant microorganisms associated with the healthcare system. This review also addresses the origins, prevalence, and pathogenicity of superbugs, and the design of antibacterial against these growing multidrug-resistant organisms from a medical perspective.

Expert opinion: It is recommended that antimicrobial resistance should be addressed by limiting human-to-human transmission of resistant strains, lowering the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and developing novel antimicrobials. Using the risk-factor domains framework from this study would assure that not only clinical but also community and hospital-specific factors are covered, lowering the chance of confounders. Extensive subjective research is necessary to fully understand the underlying factors and uncover previously unexplored areas.