title: Therapies against virulence products of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: Methicillin-resistant STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA) and PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA are key pathogens in hospitals (particularly intensive care units), in long-term care facilities, and in outpatients with specific comorbidities and risk factors. Both MRSA and P. AERUGINOSA display resistance to a wide array of antibiotics. Further, both bacteria contain a variety of virulence products or systems that make it difficult to treat associated infections. Within the past several years, community-acquired MRSA containing virulence factors [particularly the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene] has emerged globally. Given the limited number of novel antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant organisms, there is growing interest in treating bacterial infections by targeting specific virulence products or systems. This article reviews potential therapeutic targets in the virulence systems of these two bacteria that are responsible for a large number of serious infections in critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. jwiener-kronish@partners.org
authors.forename: Jeanine P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wiener-Kronish
authors.forename: Jean-Francois
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pittet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents