ABSTRACT
The truth, seldom mentioned but there for anyone to see, is that nature is not so easily molded. —Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, 1962 SummaryMicroorganisms and diseased cells can develop resistance to drugs through various mechanisms. Drug resistance can be viewed as the natural tendency of the wilderness to fight back against human intervention, just as life evolves from the struggle for existence in the natural world. Poor human behavior and public health practices contribute to the emergence of drug resistance. We need to understand the mechanisms of drug resistance and find rational approaches to overcome the resistance, either by modifying old drugs or by finding new drugs, including drug combinations. Good examples of natural combinations can be found from the strategies which microorganisms use to prey on others or defend themselves in the ecosystem. In addition to the emergence of drug resistance, new, emerging diseases resulting from global climate and social changes also add to the threats of the molecular wilderness, requiring vigilance and quick responses, coordinated on a global scale.
