Abstract

Adjunct antimicrobial therapy- prospects for the future

Author(s): John F Barrett

The bacterium is a relatively simple microorganism compared with mammalian cells, generally ranging in size from just under 1200 to over 6000 genes, but has evolved an amazing repertoire of defenses against environmental insult, toxins and other microbial life. The standard of care has been to kill the bacterium when found in the host as a pathogen, and a large arsenal of drugs has been developed to do just that. However, the adaptability of these pathogens to evade the host immune system defenses and classical antibiotics has presented an evolving scenario of continuous emergence of resistance against virtually all antibiotic drug classes. It may be time to explore other options in this infection battle through the use of adjunct therapy such as immunotherapeutics and antivirulence agents.