NONCANONICAL MECHANISMS OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE

Although the current in vitro methods used for detection and analysis of the phenotypes of antibiotic resistance in the laboratory are well established, other resistance mechanisms of resistance exist which may escape detection using the standard approach. The present article rev iews some of these mechanisms which are grouped under the term 'non-ca nonical mechanisms' of antibiotic resistance. Such mechanisms include gene dosage, heterologous induction or selection, populational resista nce and synergism between mechanisms of low resistance. The role of th ese mechanisms in the failure of therapy is discussed.