The rapid increase in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains combined with a dwindling rate of discovery of novel antibiotic molecules has lately created an alarming issue worldwide. Resistant genes in microorganisms may be inherited from forerunners or acquired through genetic mutations or gene exchange. Although the occurrence of resistance in microbes is a natural process, the overuse of antibiotics is known to improve the rate of resistance evolution. Indeed, under antibiotic treatment, susceptible bacteria inevitably die, while resistant microorganisms proliferate under reduced competition. Therefore, the out-of-control use of antibiotics causes the elimination of drug-susceptible species that would naturally limit the expansion of resistant ones. On top of that, the ability of many microbial species to grow as biofilm has further complicated the treatment of infections with conventional antibiotics. Indeed, microbial biofilms, that is microbial communities growing attached to abiotic surface and tissues, are known to be an optimal environment to amplify both naturally occurring and induced antibiotic-resistance phenomena. That together with other defense mechanisms significantly increases biofilm antibiotic tolerance. A number of corrective measures are currently under exploration to reverse or slow down antibiotic resistance evolution, among which the development of polymer-based antimicrobial compounds has emerged as one of the most promising solutions. This special issue collected nineteen papers, of which four were reviews and fifteen were original articles.
Il rapido aumento della comparsa di ceppi batterici resistenti agli antibiotici, combinato con la diminuzione della scoperta di nuove molecole antibiotiche, ha recentemente creato allarme in tutto il mondo. I geni resistenti nei microrganismi possono essere ereditati da precursori o acquisiti attraverso mutazioni genetiche o scambio genico. Sebbene l'insorgenza di resistenza nei microbi sia un processo naturale, è noto che l'uso eccessivo di antibiotici favorisce la resistenza. Infatti, sotto trattamento antibiotico, i batteri sensibili muoiono mentre i microrganismi resistenti proliferano in condizioni di concorrenza ridotta. Pertanto, l'uso fuori controllo di antibiotici provoca l'eliminazione delle specie farmaco-sensibili che limiterebbero naturalmente l'espansione di quelle resistenti. Inoltre, la capacità di molte specie microbiche di crescere come biofilm ha ulteriormente complicato il trattamento delle infezioni con gli antibiotici convenzionali. Infatti, i biofilm microbici, che crescono attaccati alla superficie e ai tessuti abiotici, sono noti per essere un ambiente ottimale per l'amplificazione dei fenomeni di resistenza agli antibiotici sia naturali che indotti. Questo, insieme ad altri meccanismi di difesa, aumenta significativamente la tolleranza agli antibiotici del biofilm. Sono attualmente allo studio una serie di misure correttive per invertire o rallentare l'evoluzione della resistenza agli antibiotici, tra cui lo sviluppo di composti antimicrobici a base di polimeri è emerso come una delle soluzioni più promettenti. Questo numero speciale raccoglie diciannove articoli, di cui quattro reviews e quindici articoli originali.
Polymeric systems as antimicrobial or antifouling agents / Francolini, I.; Piozzi, A.. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. - ISSN 1661-6596. - 20:19(2019), pp. 4866-4870. [10.3390/ijms20194866]
Polymeric systems as antimicrobial or antifouling agents
Francolini I.
Primo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Piozzi A.
Secondo
Writing – Review & Editing
2019
Abstract
The rapid increase in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains combined with a dwindling rate of discovery of novel antibiotic molecules has lately created an alarming issue worldwide. Resistant genes in microorganisms may be inherited from forerunners or acquired through genetic mutations or gene exchange. Although the occurrence of resistance in microbes is a natural process, the overuse of antibiotics is known to improve the rate of resistance evolution. Indeed, under antibiotic treatment, susceptible bacteria inevitably die, while resistant microorganisms proliferate under reduced competition. Therefore, the out-of-control use of antibiotics causes the elimination of drug-susceptible species that would naturally limit the expansion of resistant ones. On top of that, the ability of many microbial species to grow as biofilm has further complicated the treatment of infections with conventional antibiotics. Indeed, microbial biofilms, that is microbial communities growing attached to abiotic surface and tissues, are known to be an optimal environment to amplify both naturally occurring and induced antibiotic-resistance phenomena. That together with other defense mechanisms significantly increases biofilm antibiotic tolerance. A number of corrective measures are currently under exploration to reverse or slow down antibiotic resistance evolution, among which the development of polymer-based antimicrobial compounds has emerged as one of the most promising solutions. This special issue collected nineteen papers, of which four were reviews and fifteen were original articles.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.