Biosynthesis, Characterization, Antibacterial and Synergistic Effect of Silver Nanoparticles using Fusarium oxysporum

Frontiers in superbug management: innovating approaches to combat antimicrobial resistance

Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) is a global health issue causing significant mortality and economic burden. Pharmaceutical companies' discontinuation of research hinders new agents, while MDR pathogens or "superbugs" worsen the problem. Superbugs pose a threat to common infections and medical procedures, exacerbated by limited antibiotic development and rapid antibiotic resistance. The rising tide of antimicrobial resistance threatens to undermine progress in controlling infectious diseases. This review examines the global proliferation of AMR, its underlying mechanisms, and contributing factors. The study explores various methodologies, emphasizing the significance of precise and timely identification of resistant strains. We discuss recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas9, nanoparticle technology, light-based techniques, and AI-powered antibiogram analysis for combating AMR. Traditional methods often fail to effectively combat multidrug-resistant bacteria, as CRISPR-Cas9 technology offers a more effective approach by cutting specific DNA sequences, precision targeting and genome editing. AI-based smartphone applications for antibiogram analysis in resource-limited settings face challenges like internet connectivity, device compatibility, data quality, energy consumption, and algorithmic limitations. Additionally, light-based antimicrobial techniques are increasingly being used to effectively kill antibiotic-resistant microbial species and treat localized infections. This review provides an in-depth overview of AMR covering epidemiology, evolution, mechanisms, infection prevention, control measures, antibiotic access, stewardship, surveillance, challenges and emerging non-antibiotic therapeutic approaches.

Synergism between metallic nanoparticles and antibiotics

The discovery of antibiotics in the twentieth century made it possible to treat bacterial infections and revolutionized modern medicine. However, gradually, it is possible to perceive a decrease in the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents against pathogenic isolates, which, together with the low investment in the discovery and/or development of new antibiotics by large pharmaceutical companies since the 1960s, makes it increasingly difficult to treatment of infections caused by these microorganisms. The search for strategies capable of potentiating the effect of existing drugs through the development of new therapeutic approaches, which also have the potential to circumvent bacterial resistance to antibiotics, has become indispensable. In this context, metallic nanoparticles stand out, as they could be used to act synergistically with drugs. Thus, the objective of this review was to present the latest information on the synergistic activity of antibiotics with metallic nanoparticles, pointing out this association as a promising alternative for the preservation of bacterial sensitivity to these drugs. The different metallic nanoparticles can present different benefits in the treatment of bacterial infections, with this being able to potentiate the bacterial activity of antibiotics that are widely used in the clinic, being able to increase the susceptibility in multiresistant microorganisms. KEY POINTS: • Metallic nanoparticles increased the antimicrobial action of drugs; • Metallic nanoparticles compromise the action of bacterial efflux pumps; • Biofilm formation was inhibited after treatment with metallic nanoparticles.