Antibiotic resistance in prevalent bacterial and protozoan sexually transmitted infections

Abstract

The emergence of multi-drug resistant sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is causing a treatment crisis across the globe. While cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea is one of the most pressing issues, extensively antibiotic resistant Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma hominis are also becoming commonplace. Experts have suggested that the failure of current treatment regimens are “largely inevitable” and have called for entirely new classes of antimicrobial agents. With the exception of several new classes of drugs primarily targeting nosocomial infections, progress has been slow. While pharmaceutical companies continue to introduce new drugs, they are based on decade-old discoveries. While there is disagreement about what constitutes new classes of antibiotics, many experts suggest that the last truly new family of antimicrobials was discovered in 1987. This review summarizes the existing literature on antibiotic resistance in common bacterial and protozoal STIs. It also briefly discusses several of the most promising alternatives to current therapies, and further examines how advances in drug delivery, formulation, concentration, and timing are improving the efficacy of existing treatments. Finally, the paper discusses the current state of pharmaceutical development for multidrug-resistant STI.

Lycopene Inhibits Propagation of Chlamydia Infection

“…C. pneumoniae is the most commonly occurring intracellular bacterial pathogen in respiratory system; it is of unknown worldwide prevalence and has more than 50% prevalence in people with cardiovascular pathologies or risk of their development [ 9 – 14 ]. There are worrisome reports about drug resistance of chlamydial pathogens to the commonly used antibiotics via lateral and horizontal mutated gene transfer [ 15 ]. It is of clinical importance that, under the selective pressure of beta-lactam antibiotics, interferon- gamma, or deprivation of nutrients such as iron and amino acids (e.g., tryptophan), most of chlamydiae can enter a persistent, metabolically inactive state that is refractory to current antibiotic treatment strategy.…”

Use of azithromycin as treatment against Chlamydia trachomatis?

“…So far, no strains with homotypic resistance (where the entire population of organisms survives after treatment) have been identified. 25,26 False-positive test-of-cure NAAT is the method of choice to perform a "test-ofcure". Unfortunately this method only provides information about the presence of genetic material, but not on viability of the pathogen or if it's still infectious; therefore, intermittent positive results could be the result of viable or non-viable genetic material deposition from a sexual partner, release of degraded cells genetic material or elementary bodies containing Chlamydia trachomatis genetic material.…”

¿Azitromicina como tratamiento contra Chlamydia trachomatis?

“…A la fecha no han sido identificadas cepas con resistencia homotípica (en la que la población completa de organismos sobrevive después del tratamiento). 25,26 Prueba de curación falso-positiva NAAT es el método de elección para realizar una "prueba de curación". Desafortunadamente este método solamente proporciona información acerca de la presencia de material genético, pero no de la viabilidad del patógeno o si este aún es infeccioso; por lo tanto, los resultados positivos intermitentes pudieran ser el resultado de la deposición de material genético viable o no viable de una pareja sexual, la liberación de material genético de células degradadas o cuerpos elementales que contienen material genético de Chlamydia trachomatis.…”