Virulence factors of human pathogens: an always-needed approach / Fatores de virulência de patógenos humanos: uma abordagem sempre necessária

Abstract

Hospital infections caused by resistant bacteria are a worldwide public health problem that mainly affects immunocompromised patients. These infections are mainly caused by inadequate antibiotic prescriptions, self-medication and long hospital stays. The World Health Organization mentions a list of resistant bacteria, especially Gram-negative ones considered as priorities for research, discovery and development of new drugs. These pathogens to survive and propagate use a varied set of strategies known as virulence factors. The present study corresponds to a review of the state-of-the-art related to main factors associated with pathogenicity in clinical important Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The virulence factors, alone or together, guarantee important defenses to the host organism's immune system, as well as adverse external conditions. Consequently, there is an increase in morbidity and mortality rates in hospital environments. Thus, effective microbial control measures are needed, especially in health institutions; also, the encouragement of new therapeutic approaches that target the main virulence factors.