AUTHOR=Khan Shahper N. , Khan Asad U. 

TITLE=Breaking the Spell: Combating Multidrug Resistant ‘Superbugs’

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2016.00174

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2016.00174

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have become a severe threat to community wellbeing. Conventional antibiotics are getting progressively more ineffective as a consequence of resistance, making it imperative to realize improved antimicrobial options. In this review we emphasized the microorganisms primarily reported of being resistance, referred as ESKAPE pathogens (<italic>Enterococcus faecium</italic>, <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic>, <italic>Klebsiella pneumoniae</italic>, <italic>Acinetobacter baumanii</italic>, <italic>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</italic>, and <italic>Enterobacteriaceae</italic>) accentuating their capacity to “escape” from routine antimicrobial regimes. The upcoming antimicrobial agents showing great potential and can serve as alternative therapeutic options are discussed. We also provided succinct overview of two evolving technologies; specifically network pharmacology and functional genomics profiling. Furthermore, <italic>In vivo</italic> imaging techniques can provide novel targets and a real time tool for potential lead molecule assessment. The employment of such approaches at prelude of a drug development process, will enables more informed decisions on candidate drug selection and will maximize or predict therapeutic potential before clinical testing.</p>