About this Research Topic
We welcome you to submit your potential manuscripts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and/or Acinetobacter baumannii research projects dealing with the prevalence of resistant isolates to various antibacterial agents in both genera, the underlying mechanisms of resistance, and prospective treatment options. Also authors may submit studies on biofilm production by P. aeruginosa and possible methods of disrupting such biofilms in an effort to enhance antibacterial agents’ effectiveness.
P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii are among the most common non-lactose-fermenting gram-negative pathogens responsible for hospital-acquired nosocomial infections in health care settings. The treatment of infections caused by these bacteria is complicated due to the emergence of multi-drug resistance. The two species are noted for their intrinsic resistance to antibacterial agents and for their ability to acquire by horizontal gene transfer, plasmids and transposomes encoding resistance determinants.
A.baumanii and P. aeruginosa are emerging as pathogens that frequently cause infections in patients in intensive care units. In both species, resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics seriously compromises the ability to treat patients who are infected with these pathogens. In many instances, there are perilously few antibacterial choices. Hence, for the immunocompromised host, timely institution of effective therapy is a matter of survival.
Among the mechanisms of resistance in both of these pathogens is the production of β-lactamases and aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes. Additionally, reduced or lack of expression of outer membrane proteins, mutations in topoisomerases, and up-regulation of efflux pumps, play an important part in antibacterial resistance. The accumulation of a number of mechanisms of resistance leads to the development of multi-drug resistant or even “panresistant” strains.
Therefore, the findings of the conducted studies in the potential manuscripts to be submitted must reflect the virulence potential and pathogenesis of A. baumannii or P. aeruginosa. Moreover, the manuscripts need to reflect an understanding of the mechanisms of transmission of resistance determinants at the molecular level in organisms resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents. Furthermore the manuscripts can be aimed to study biofilms formed by P.aeruginosa, and attempts to propose therapeutic options to infections produced by biofilm producing pathogens.
P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii are among the most common non-lactose-fermenting gram-negative pathogens responsible for hospital-acquired nosocomial infections in health care settings. The treatment of infections caused by these bacteria is complicated due to the emergence of multi-drug resistance. The two species are noted for their intrinsic resistance to antibacterial agents and for their ability to acquire by horizontal gene transfer, plasmids and transposomes encoding resistance determinants.
A.baumanii and P. aeruginosa are emerging as pathogens that frequently cause infections in patients in intensive care units. In both species, resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics seriously compromises the ability to treat patients who are infected with these pathogens. In many instances, there are perilously few antibacterial choices. Hence, for the immunocompromised host, timely institution of effective therapy is a matter of survival.
Among the mechanisms of resistance in both of these pathogens is the production of β-lactamases and aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes. Additionally, reduced or lack of expression of outer membrane proteins, mutations in topoisomerases, and up-regulation of efflux pumps, play an important part in antibacterial resistance. The accumulation of a number of mechanisms of resistance leads to the development of multi-drug resistant or even “panresistant” strains.
Therefore, the findings of the conducted studies in the potential manuscripts to be submitted must reflect the virulence potential and pathogenesis of A. baumannii or P. aeruginosa. Moreover, the manuscripts need to reflect an understanding of the mechanisms of transmission of resistance determinants at the molecular level in organisms resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents. Furthermore the manuscripts can be aimed to study biofilms formed by P.aeruginosa, and attempts to propose therapeutic options to infections produced by biofilm producing pathogens.
Keywords: Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, virulence genes, Multidrug resistance, Antimicrobial resistance genes, pathogenesis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
