Volume 13, Issue 4 (Nov 2025)
Res Mol Med (RMM) 2025, 13(4): 0-0 |
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Sojoudi Masuleh R, Salimian Rizi Z, Rashidi A, Salek Khalili A H, Mohsenzadeh S Z, Aghaei G et al . Narrative Review of β-Lactam Resistance in Key Bacterial Pathogens: Efficacy and Innovations in Combination Therapies. Res Mol Med (RMM) 2025; 13 (4)
URL: http://rmm.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-615-en.html
URL: http://rmm.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-615-en.html
Rouzbeh Sojoudi Masuleh1 
, Zahra Salimian Rizi2 , Ali Rashidi3 , Amir Hossein Salek Khalili4 , Seyedeh Zahra Mohsenzadeh5 , Ghazale Aghaei6 , Mohammad Karimbakhsh7
, Zahra Salimian Rizi2 , Ali Rashidi3 , Amir Hossein Salek Khalili4 , Seyedeh Zahra Mohsenzadeh5 , Ghazale Aghaei6 , Mohammad Karimbakhsh7
1- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Department of Microbiology, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran
4- Department of Medical Bacteriology, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
5- Medical Laboratory Science, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
6- Department of Microbiology, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
7- Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. ,mohammadkarimbakhsh1@gmail.com
2- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Department of Microbiology, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran
4- Department of Medical Bacteriology, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
5- Medical Laboratory Science, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
6- Department of Microbiology, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
7- Department of Bacteriology, Pasteur institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. ,
Abstract: (36 Views)
Background: β-Lactam antibiotics (BLIs) are essential for treating bacterial infections, but resistance is increasing due to β-lactamases, altered penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), and reduced permeability in pathogens, such as E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), A. baumannii, N. gonorrhoeae, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. BLIs aim to restore the effectiveness of these antibiotics, but non-enzymatic resistance remains a challenge.
Methods: This narrative review searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles published between 2020 and 2025. Key search terms included "beta-lactam resistance" and "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated antimicrobial resistance." Out of approximately 1,200 articles, 88 peer-reviewed studies were selected, focusing on resistance mechanisms, prevalence, and innovative therapies for selected pathogens.
Results: E. coli and K. pneumoniae exhibit high prevalence rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamases, with Cefotaximase‑Munich (CTX-M) found in 72.5% of cases and carbapenemase blaKPC-2 in 66% of K. pneumoniae. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) relies on the mecA gene (30% prevalence in burn infections), while A. baumannii shows a prevalence of blaOXA-23 at 68.9%, and N. gonorrhoeae has blaTEM-1 in 86.88% of cases. The combination of ceftazidime and avibactam reduces mortality in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) infections by 52%, with additional synergy observed when combined with aztreonam (89% effectiveness). Phage therapy and CRISPR/Cas9 have shown effectiveness in targeting multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and restoring susceptibility.
Conclusion: Managing β-lactam resistance effectively requires a deep understanding of pathogen-specific mechanisms. While β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs), such as ceftazidime/avibactam, are useful, their effectiveness is limited by efflux pumps and modifications to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Bacteriophage therapy has proven highly effective in significantly reducing multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii in vivo, and CRISPR/Cas9 can precisely target resistance genes such as blaKPC to restore antibiotic sensitivity. Additionally, nanocarrier systems improve drug delivery by overcoming challenges like efflux and biofilm formation. This review synthesizes advancements made since 2020, highlighting innovative strategies involving phage therapy, CRISPR, and nanocarriers, while addressing critical research gaps in understudied pathogens, paving the way for precision antimicrobial therapies.
Background: β-Lactam antibiotics (BLIs) are essential for treating bacterial infections, but resistance is increasing due to β-lactamases, altered penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), and reduced permeability in pathogens, such as E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), A. baumannii, N. gonorrhoeae, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. BLIs aim to restore the effectiveness of these antibiotics, but non-enzymatic resistance remains a challenge.
Methods: This narrative review searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles published between 2020 and 2025. Key search terms included "beta-lactam resistance" and "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated antimicrobial resistance." Out of approximately 1,200 articles, 88 peer-reviewed studies were selected, focusing on resistance mechanisms, prevalence, and innovative therapies for selected pathogens.
Results: E. coli and K. pneumoniae exhibit high prevalence rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamases, with Cefotaximase‑Munich (CTX-M) found in 72.5% of cases and carbapenemase blaKPC-2 in 66% of K. pneumoniae. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) relies on the mecA gene (30% prevalence in burn infections), while A. baumannii shows a prevalence of blaOXA-23 at 68.9%, and N. gonorrhoeae has blaTEM-1 in 86.88% of cases. The combination of ceftazidime and avibactam reduces mortality in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) infections by 52%, with additional synergy observed when combined with aztreonam (89% effectiveness). Phage therapy and CRISPR/Cas9 have shown effectiveness in targeting multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and restoring susceptibility.
Conclusion: Managing β-lactam resistance effectively requires a deep understanding of pathogen-specific mechanisms. While β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs), such as ceftazidime/avibactam, are useful, their effectiveness is limited by efflux pumps and modifications to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Bacteriophage therapy has proven highly effective in significantly reducing multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii in vivo, and CRISPR/Cas9 can precisely target resistance genes such as blaKPC to restore antibiotic sensitivity. Additionally, nanocarrier systems improve drug delivery by overcoming challenges like efflux and biofilm formation. This review synthesizes advancements made since 2020, highlighting innovative strategies involving phage therapy, CRISPR, and nanocarriers, while addressing critical research gaps in understudied pathogens, paving the way for precision antimicrobial therapies.
Methods: This narrative review searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles published between 2020 and 2025. Key search terms included "beta-lactam resistance" and "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated antimicrobial resistance." Out of approximately 1,200 articles, 88 peer-reviewed studies were selected, focusing on resistance mechanisms, prevalence, and innovative therapies for selected pathogens.
Results: E. coli and K. pneumoniae exhibit high prevalence rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamases, with Cefotaximase‑Munich (CTX-M) found in 72.5% of cases and carbapenemase blaKPC-2 in 66% of K. pneumoniae. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) relies on the mecA gene (30% prevalence in burn infections), while A. baumannii shows a prevalence of blaOXA-23 at 68.9%, and N. gonorrhoeae has blaTEM-1 in 86.88% of cases. The combination of ceftazidime and avibactam reduces mortality in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) infections by 52%, with additional synergy observed when combined with aztreonam (89% effectiveness). Phage therapy and CRISPR/Cas9 have shown effectiveness in targeting multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and restoring susceptibility.
Conclusion: Managing β-lactam resistance effectively requires a deep understanding of pathogen-specific mechanisms. While β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs), such as ceftazidime/avibactam, are useful, their effectiveness is limited by efflux pumps and modifications to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Bacteriophage therapy has proven highly effective in significantly reducing multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii in vivo, and CRISPR/Cas9 can precisely target resistance genes such as blaKPC to restore antibiotic sensitivity. Additionally, nanocarrier systems improve drug delivery by overcoming challenges like efflux and biofilm formation. This review synthesizes advancements made since 2020, highlighting innovative strategies involving phage therapy, CRISPR, and nanocarriers, while addressing critical research gaps in understudied pathogens, paving the way for precision antimicrobial therapies.
Background: β-Lactam antibiotics (BLIs) are essential for treating bacterial infections, but resistance is increasing due to β-lactamases, altered penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), and reduced permeability in pathogens, such as E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), A. baumannii, N. gonorrhoeae, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. BLIs aim to restore the effectiveness of these antibiotics, but non-enzymatic resistance remains a challenge.
Methods: This narrative review searched databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles published between 2020 and 2025. Key search terms included "beta-lactam resistance" and "clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-mediated antimicrobial resistance." Out of approximately 1,200 articles, 88 peer-reviewed studies were selected, focusing on resistance mechanisms, prevalence, and innovative therapies for selected pathogens.
Results: E. coli and K. pneumoniae exhibit high prevalence rates of extended-spectrum β-lactamases, with Cefotaximase‑Munich (CTX-M) found in 72.5% of cases and carbapenemase blaKPC-2 in 66% of K. pneumoniae. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) relies on the mecA gene (30% prevalence in burn infections), while A. baumannii shows a prevalence of blaOXA-23 at 68.9%, and N. gonorrhoeae has blaTEM-1 in 86.88% of cases. The combination of ceftazidime and avibactam reduces mortality in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) infections by 52%, with additional synergy observed when combined with aztreonam (89% effectiveness). Phage therapy and CRISPR/Cas9 have shown effectiveness in targeting multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and restoring susceptibility.
Conclusion: Managing β-lactam resistance effectively requires a deep understanding of pathogen-specific mechanisms. While β-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs), such as ceftazidime/avibactam, are useful, their effectiveness is limited by efflux pumps and modifications to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Bacteriophage therapy has proven highly effective in significantly reducing multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii in vivo, and CRISPR/Cas9 can precisely target resistance genes such as blaKPC to restore antibiotic sensitivity. Additionally, nanocarrier systems improve drug delivery by overcoming challenges like efflux and biofilm formation. This review synthesizes advancements made since 2020, highlighting innovative strategies involving phage therapy, CRISPR, and nanocarriers, while addressing critical research gaps in understudied pathogens, paving the way for precision antimicrobial therapies.
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