Resistance Matters: Current Issues and Future Strategies to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Bugs

Dear Colleagues,

The rise in the number of bacterial isolates that show antibiotic resistance (AR) to several, if not all, antibiotics represents the most frightening challenge of the 21st century. Currently, AR bugs cause infections associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in healthcare settings. The main cause of this AR phenomenon is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, involving both prescribers and users; therefore, strict measures of prevention and control should be taken. Regarding the present situation, the World Health Organization states that “the success of modern medicine in treating infections, including during major surgery and cancer chemotherapy, would be at increased risk”. The huge adaptability of AR bacteria allows them to evolve new resistance mechanisms, undermining the efforts of finding novel molecules. Together with combined therapies, phages, efflux pump and beta-lactamase/carbapenamase inhibitors, anti-quorum sensing, anti-biofilm, anti-adhesion, anti-virulence, anti-plasmid and plasmid curing are recent approaches to fighting against AR pathogens, which are currently being researched. These strategies take into account bacterial behavior, selectively acting on those virulence determinants required for the establishment of the infections. Therefore, this Special Issue will focus on the various aspects of overcoming bacterial AR, including classical and innovative strategies to eradicate pathogens. This Special Issue also covers basic studies on potential and promising bacterial targets for the development of new molecules.

Prof. Dr. Cecilia Ambrosi
Dr. Daniela Scribano
Dr. Meysam Sarshar
Dr. Payam Behzadi
Guest Editors

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