Targeted Antimicrobial Therapies: A Solution to Overcoming Antimicrobial Resistance in Humans

Abstract

Overuse or misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics increases the risk of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which increases the possibility of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial infections, and subsequently raises healthcare costs. The excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has also been linked to increased death rates, whilst the benefits that they offer against antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens are minimal. Patients infected with antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens frequently receive inadequate antimicrobial therapies due to a lack of effective options than those with non-resistant infections, resulting in poor health outcomes and longer recovery times, especially among patients who are critically ill. Broad-spectrum antibiotics also disturb the gut microbiome, which is increasingly recognized as a regulator of immune health. This study offers insights into the use of targeted antimicrobial therapies for bacterial infections, focusing on strategies that mitigate the risk of antibiotic resistance and unwanted side effects associated with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. We focus on identifying the genotype and phenotype of bacterial pathogens and then using either nanoparticle-based, vaccine-based, bacteriophage-based, monoclonal antibody-based, and CRISPR-based targeted therapies to directly kill those pathogens and reduce collateral damage. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of these targeted therapies and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

Keywords

• antimicrobial resistance
• microbiome
• broad-spectrum antibiotics
• monoclonal antibodies
• nanoparticles
• vaccines