Targeting virulence: a new paradigm for antimicrobial therapy

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Clinically significant antibiotic resistance is widespread, outpacing the development of new antibiotic classes.
• Conventional antibiotics target in vitro bacterial viability, contributing to resistance.
• There is a critical need for novel antimicrobial strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review alternative approaches to antimicrobial development, focusing on targeting bacterial virulence factors.
• To propose expanding antimicrobial discovery to include bacterial gene functions essential for in vivo viability.
• To highlight advances in identifying and targeting these unexploited bacterial functions.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on antimicrobial resistance and novel therapeutic strategies.
• Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of targeting virulence factors versus in vitro viability.
• Identification of new approaches and prospects for targeting bacterial in vivo essential functions.

Main Results:

• Targeting virulence factors offers potential advantages, including preserving the microbiome and reducing resistance pressure.
• Bacterial functions essential for in vivo viability represent an unexploited area for antimicrobial discovery.
• New advances facilitate the identification of these essential in vivo functions.

Conclusions:

• Antimicrobial development strategies must evolve beyond targeting in vitro viability.
• Targeting bacterial virulence and in vivo essential functions are promising avenues to combat antibiotic resistance.
• Expanding the repertoire of bacterial targets is crucial for future antimicrobial discovery.