An Explorative Review on Advanced Approaches to Overcome Bacterial Resistance by Curbing Bacterial Biofilm Formation
F Mohamad, Raghad Alzahrani, Ahlam Alsaadi, Bahauddeen M. Alrfaei, Alaa Eldeen B. Yassin, Manal M. Alkhulaifi, Majed Halwani
Abstract
Abstract: The continuous emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens evoked the development of innovative approaches targeting virulence factors unique to their pathogenic cascade. These approaches aimed to explore anti-virulence or anti-infective therapies. There are evident concerns regarding the bacterial ability to create a superstructure, the biofilm. Biofilm formation is a crucial virulence factor causing difficult-to-treat, localized, and systemic infections. The microenvironments of bacterial biofilm reduce the efficacy of antibiotics and evade the host’s immunity. Producing a biofilm is not limited to a specific group of bacteria; however, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii , and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms are exemplary models. This review discusses biofilm formation as a virulence factor and the link to antimicrobial resistance. In addition, it explores insights into innovative multi-targeted approaches and their physiological mechanisms to combat biofilms, including natural compounds, phages, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), CRISPR-Cas gene editing, and nano-mediated techniques. Keywords: bacterial biofilms, natural compounds, phages, aPDT, CRISPR, nanotechnology