About this Research Topic
Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as one of the most critical public health issues worldwide. It
has been estimated that in Europe, around 25,000 people, while in the United States, around 35,000
die as a results of infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Non-fermenting Gram-negative
bacteria – including Pseudomonas aeruginosa – have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens,
due to their adaptability to harsh environmental conditions and the high-levels of drug resistance,
owing to their pronounced genomic plasticity. In addition, P. aeruginosa possesses a variety of
virulence determinants, relevant in the pathogenesis of severe human infections, such as
pneumonia and sepsis.
Since the beginning of the 21 st century, it has become evident that without significant investments
into the development of novel antibiotics and the consideration of novel, non-antibiotic treatment
avenues, humanity cannot keep up with the disadvantageous developments in resistance rates
globally.
The present research topic aims to gather relevant articles (such as original research papers,
perspectives and full and mini-review articles) providing novel insights on the genomics, virulence
and drug resistance of P. aeruginosa, in addition to the latest theoretical (in silico) or experimental
(in vitro and in vivo) studies pertaining to new antimicrobial treatment strategies to combat these
difficult-to-treat infections.
The specific topics of the research topic are including, but not limited to:
• Antimicrobial resistance rates in Pseudomonas, detection and description of resistance-
determinants
• Public health microbiology, genomics, sequencing approaches and detection of successful
International clones
• Virulence mechanisms of P. aeruginosa, host-pathogen interactions and anti-virulence drugs
as a possible therapeutic strategy
• Screening of novel antimicrobial compounds of synthetic or natural origin as anti-
pseudomonal agents
• Combination therapy and drug repurposing, as possible strategies to combat Pseudomonas
infections
• Relevance of (re-)emerging antibacterial strategies (bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides,
photodynamic therapy, nanoparticles, quorum-sensing, vaccine development) in
Pseudomonas infections
• In vitro and in vivo co-infection models, interactions between P. aeruginosa and other
pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Candida spp.)
With special thanks to Dr. Matthew Gavino Donadu, Dr. Meysam Sarshar and Dr. Payam Behzadi for their hard work and contributions to this Research Topic.
has been estimated that in Europe, around 25,000 people, while in the United States, around 35,000
die as a results of infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Non-fermenting Gram-negative
bacteria – including Pseudomonas aeruginosa – have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens,
due to their adaptability to harsh environmental conditions and the high-levels of drug resistance,
owing to their pronounced genomic plasticity. In addition, P. aeruginosa possesses a variety of
virulence determinants, relevant in the pathogenesis of severe human infections, such as
pneumonia and sepsis.
Since the beginning of the 21 st century, it has become evident that without significant investments
into the development of novel antibiotics and the consideration of novel, non-antibiotic treatment
avenues, humanity cannot keep up with the disadvantageous developments in resistance rates
globally.
The present research topic aims to gather relevant articles (such as original research papers,
perspectives and full and mini-review articles) providing novel insights on the genomics, virulence
and drug resistance of P. aeruginosa, in addition to the latest theoretical (in silico) or experimental
(in vitro and in vivo) studies pertaining to new antimicrobial treatment strategies to combat these
difficult-to-treat infections.
The specific topics of the research topic are including, but not limited to:
• Antimicrobial resistance rates in Pseudomonas, detection and description of resistance-
determinants
• Public health microbiology, genomics, sequencing approaches and detection of successful
International clones
• Virulence mechanisms of P. aeruginosa, host-pathogen interactions and anti-virulence drugs
as a possible therapeutic strategy
• Screening of novel antimicrobial compounds of synthetic or natural origin as anti-
pseudomonal agents
• Combination therapy and drug repurposing, as possible strategies to combat Pseudomonas
infections
• Relevance of (re-)emerging antibacterial strategies (bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides,
photodynamic therapy, nanoparticles, quorum-sensing, vaccine development) in
Pseudomonas infections
• In vitro and in vivo co-infection models, interactions between P. aeruginosa and other
pathogens (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Candida spp.)
With special thanks to Dr. Matthew Gavino Donadu, Dr. Meysam Sarshar and Dr. Payam Behzadi for their hard work and contributions to this Research Topic.
Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, antimicrobial resistance, emerging therapeutic strategies, virulence, drug development
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