Opportunities and Challenges in the Use of Live Biotherapeutics to Fight Infections in the Era of Multi-Drug-Resistance

Dear Colleagues,

The continuous and growing spread of drug-resistant microbial pathogens is a widely recognized global alarm destined to become one of the major public health problems in the years to come. The paucity of new antibiotics on the market demands the identification of non-traditional approaches to target multi-drug-resistant microorganisms.  Among these approaches, the use of live biotherapeutics (LB) or products thereof, is a futuristic but promising strategy against drug-resistant pathogens. A number of products may fall into the LB category, including single bacterial strains (e.g., probiotics), engineered bacterial strains, defined bacterial consortia, single phages or phage mixtures.  The general tactics entail exploiting the natural competition among living entities to control infections or restore a healthy microbiota at distinct body sites. Modalities through which LB may achieve successful eradication or prevent colonization of drug-resistant pathogens include competition for nutrients, saturation of receptors for adhesion, stimulation of immunity, dampening excessive inflammation, other than implementation of a bactericidal effect either directly (e.g., phages) or indirectly through the production of microbicidal metabolites (e.g., bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides, organic acids, enzymes). This Special Issue aims to collect original research or review articles focusing on the use of LB or their metabolic products as a new class of antimicrobial agents in order to highlight the opportunities, but also the possible obstacles in the translation of LB to the clinic. Particularly welcome will be manuscripts focusing on, but not limited to, the following themes: multiple activities and modes of molecular actions of LB; development of in vitro and in vivo models of infections for rational LB candidate selection; combinatorial synergistic strategies among LB and other antimicrobials; modes of delivery of LB; and personalized strategies of LB administration. We expect that this Special Issue may contribute to boost our understanding on the benefits and molecular mechanisms associated with LB action, which may promote their applications in anti-infective therapy.

This Special Issue is supervised by Giovanna Batoni (University of Pisa) and assisted by Marta Bianchi (University of Pisa).

Prof. Dr. Giovanna Batoni
Guest Editor

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