Bacterial cross-resistance to anti-infective compounds. Is it a real problem?

Bacterial resistance has been listed as one of the main threats to human health, leading to high mortality rates. Among the mechanisms involved in bacterial resistance proliferation and selection, we can cite cross-resistance, which occurs when resistance events to one anti-infective agent trigger resistance to other agents. Thus, considering the importance of cross-resistance evolution worldwide in the context of resistant bacterial infections, this minireview focused on the description of bacterial adaptation, including biofilm formation. Here, we explored the correlation between different anti-infective agents, including antibiotics, metal ions, biocides, and antimicrobial peptides in bacterial cross-resistance, also highlighting the most reported mechanisms of adaptation that accompany this resistance.