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Pathogens
Special Issues
Pathogenesis Mechanisms and Antimicrobial Strategies against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens
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Pathogenesis Mechanisms and Antimicrobial Strategies against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Bacterial Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 4649

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nikolaos Spernovasilis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Infectious Diseases, German Oncology Center, 4108 Limassol, Cyprus
Interests: infection control; antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; refugee health; public health; medical education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Constantinos Tsioutis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: infection control; antimicrobial resistance; antimicrobial stewardship; medical education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens presents significant clinical challenges and affects health outcomes on a global level. The pathogenesis of infection by MDR pathogens is affected by several factors such as resistance types, virulence mechanisms, host susceptibility, management, etc. In turn, pathogenetic mechanisms have many different implications on microorganism spread, contact precautions, management options, patient outcomes, and healthcare system burden.

In response to MDR pathogens, several antimicrobial strategies are being developed. Novel antibiotics with unique targets and mechanisms are in the pipeline to overcome existing resistance pathways. Combination therapies, utilizing multiple antimicrobials, aim to overcome resistance by attacking pathogens through different angles. The use of novel antimicrobial mechanisms and technological advances such as bacteriophages, targeted agents, and nanoparticle technology offer specific approaches and targeted drug delivery systems to manage infections by MDR pathogens, enhancing the efficacy of existing treatment options.

Tackling the spread of resistance through stewardship programs is equally crucial. These programs encompass multifaceted strategies and practices, focusing on optimizing antibiotic use to minimize the emergence and dissemination of resistance in healthcare settings.

This Special Issue is a collection of laboratory, experimental, and clinical research articles, as well as reviews, related to MDR pathogens (primarily bacteria) and specifically to the pathogenesis of infection, antimicrobial options, and antimicrobial strategies. The ultimate aim is to create a scientific hub of recent advances in successful and novel evidence-driven strategies to control the spread and burden of infections by MDR pathogens.

Dr. Nikolaos Spernovasilis
Dr. Constantinos Tsioutis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antimicrobial stewardship
  • antimicrobial treatment
  • bacteriophages
  • drug development
  • efflux
  • enzymes
  • immunology
  • infection control
  • monoclonal antibodies
  • multi-drug resistance
  • nanoparticles
  • pathogenesis
  • pathophysiology
  • target

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2631 KiB  
Article
Genomic Analyses of Methicillin-Susceptible and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Strains Involved in Canine Infections: A Comprehensive Genotypic Characterization
by Maria Eduarda Rocha Jacques da Silva, Gabriela Merker Breyer, Mateus Matiuzzi da Costa, Bertram Brenig, Vasco Ariston de Carvalho Azevedo, Marisa Ribeiro de Itapema Cardoso and Franciele Maboni Siqueira
Pathogens 2024, 13(9), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13090760 - 4 Sep 2024
Viewed by 698
Abstract
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is frequently associated with several bacterial infections in dogs, highlighting a One Health concern due to the zoonotic potential. Given the clinical significance of this pathogen, we performed comprehensive genomic analyses of 28 S. pseudintermedius strains isolated from canine infections throughout [...] Read more.
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is frequently associated with several bacterial infections in dogs, highlighting a One Health concern due to the zoonotic potential. Given the clinical significance of this pathogen, we performed comprehensive genomic analyses of 28 S. pseudintermedius strains isolated from canine infections throughout whole-genome sequencing using Illumina HiSeq, and compared the genetic features between S. pseudintermedius methicillin-resistant (MRSP) and methicillin-susceptible (MSSP) strains. Our analyses determined that MRSP genomes are larger than MSSP strains, with significant changes in antimicrobial resistance genes and virulent markers, suggesting differences in the pathogenicity of MRSP and MSSP strains. In addition, the pangenome analysis of S. pseudintermedius from canine and human origins identified core and accessory genomes with 1847 and 3037 genes, respectively, which indicates that most of the S. pseudintermedius genome is highly variable. Furthermore, phylogenomic analysis clearly separated MRSP from MSSP strains, despite their infection sites, showing phylogenetic differences according to methicillin susceptibility. Altogether our findings underscore the importance of studying the evolutionary dynamics of S. pseudintermedius, which is crucial for the development of effective prevention and control strategies of resistant S. pseudintermedius infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis Mechanisms and Antimicrobial Strategies against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens)
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Review

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16 pages, 301 KiB  
Review
Phage-Based Therapy in Combination with Antibiotics: A Promising Alternative against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens
by Cleo Anastassopoulou, Stefanos Ferous, Aikaterini Petsimeri, Georgia Gioula and Athanasios Tsakris
Pathogens 2024, 13(10), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13100896 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 2153
Abstract
The continued rise in antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to public health worldwide. The use of phages that can have bactericidal activity without disrupting the normal flora represents a promising alternative treatment method. This practice has been successfully applied for decades, mainly [...] Read more.
The continued rise in antimicrobial resistance poses a serious threat to public health worldwide. The use of phages that can have bactericidal activity without disrupting the normal flora represents a promising alternative treatment method. This practice has been successfully applied for decades, mainly in Eastern Europe, and has recently been used as an emergency therapy for compassionate care in the United States. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the pre-clinical and clinical applications of phage therapy concerning three major Gram-negative pathogens: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The advantages and the challenges of expanding the usage of phages as an alternative or adjunctive treatment for antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections are discussed. We emphasize the virologic complexities of using the highly adaptable phage populations as molecular tools, along with antibiotic chemical compounds, to effectively combat rapidly coevolving pathogenic bacteria in the host microenvironment. Pre-clinical studies, isolated clinical reports and a few randomized clinical trials have shown that bacteriophages can be effective in treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The ability of some phages to revert the resistance against antibiotics, and possibly also against the human complement and other phages, appears to be a great advantage of phage therapy despite the inevitable emergence of phage-resistant strains. Bacteriophages (or specific phage-derived products) can enhance antimicrobial efficacy by reducing bacterial virulence via the alteration of basic bacterial structures, primarily of the cellular wall and membrane. Although several issues remain open regarding their effective clinical application, it appears that phage-based therapeutics in combination with antibiotics can provide an effective solution to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis Mechanisms and Antimicrobial Strategies against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens)

Other

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15 pages, 613 KiB  
Systematic Review
Patient Experiences and Perceptions with Infections Due to Multidrug-Resistant Organisms: A Systematic Review
by Mousa M. AlRawashdeh, Angela Ishak, Ahmed Al-Bunnia, Aris P. Agouridis, Theodore Lytras, Nikolaos Spernovasilis and Constantinos Tsioutis
Pathogens 2024, 13(9), 817; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13090817 - 22 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1203
Abstract
Infections by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) pose significant public health challenges, including increased mortality rates, healthcare costs, and significant impacts on the quality of life for patients. Utilizing a systematic review methodology adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we performed a comprehensive search across three databases, [...] Read more.
Infections by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) pose significant public health challenges, including increased mortality rates, healthcare costs, and significant impacts on the quality of life for patients. Utilizing a systematic review methodology adhering to PRISMA guidelines, we performed a comprehensive search across three databases, identifying 20 relevant studies that investigated the psychological effects of infections due to MDROs on hospitalized adults. The primary outcomes examined included depression, anxiety, and other psychosocial impacts, while secondary outcomes included patient and caregiver understanding of the infection. Findings revealed consistent associations between contact isolation due to MDRO infections and heightened levels of depression and anxiety among patients, although evidence regarding the impact on anger was mixed. Other psychological aspects, such as feelings of stigmatization and reduced healthcare provider interactions, were also recorded. The current systematic review highlights the importance of addressing these psychological effects through holistic, patient-centered care approaches, emphasizing the need for better communication and comprehensive education for both patients and healthcare providers. Our findings suggest that mitigating the psychological burden of MDROs can enhance overall patient care and outcomes and call for further research to optimize care strategies for patients hospitalized for infections due to MDROs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis Mechanisms and Antimicrobial Strategies against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens)
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