Novel Approaches for Combating Antibiotic Resistance in Pathogenic Bacteria

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance has historically been mostly linked to the established mechanisms such target alteration, efflux pumps, and enzymatic inactivation. Also, the ability of bacteria to form biofilm is a formidable challenge to antibiotic efficacy. The extracellular matrix forms a protective barrier that renders most antibiotics ineffective, by limiting the interaction of the drug to its target. The emergence of novel antibiotic resistance mechanisms in pathogenic bacteria and its rapid propagation, by means of horizontal gene transfer or mobile genetic elements, is a constant challenge to the medical community. Bacteria are able to exchange genetic material, conferring to antibiotic resistance, at a startling rate that helps them adapt quickly. This is especially dangerous when antibiotics use is abused. The field of antibiotic resistance has experienced a notable shift in the past few years, owing to the identification of new resistance mechanisms utilized by pathogenic bacteria to impede the effectiveness of antibiotics. Over the past decade researchers have been rigorously studying these resistance mechanisms and working on strategies to overcome the ordeal. Notably, nanoparticles research targeting antibiofilm therapy to combat the antibiotic-resistance mechanisms has been truly innovative. There have also been positive reports on utilizing the CRISPR-Cas as a promising next-generation antibiotic that can be used to eliminate antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) and resensitize bacterial populations to antibiotics. This review aims for a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing research on antibiotic resistance mechanisms and strategies to counter them, the remaining challenges for widespread clinical implementation and the importance of continued research.