The arsenal of pathogens and antivirulence therapeutic strategies for disarming them.
Pathogens deploy an arsenal of virulence factors (VFs) to establish themselves within their infectious niche. The discovery of antimicrobial compounds and their development into therapeutics has made a monumental impact on human and microbial populations. Although humans have used antimicrobials for medicinal and agricultural purposes, microorganism populations have developed and shared resistance mechanisms to persevere in the face of classical antimicrobials. However, a positive substitute is antivirulence therapy; antivirulence therapeutics prevent or interrupt an infection by counteracting a pathogen's VFs. Their application can reduce the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials and dampen the frequency with which resistant strains emerge. Here, we summarize the contribution of VFs to various acute and chronic infections. In correspondence with this, we provide an overview of the research and development of antivirulence strategies.
Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
John R
JR
Brannon
Division of Molecular Pathogenesis, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
Maria
M
Hadjifrangiskou
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D014774:Virulence / Q000187:drug effects*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D037521:Virulence Factors
Escherichia coli; antivirulence therapeutics; biofilms; persister cells; quorum sensing; regulation; virulence factors