Specificity determinants dramatically reduce hemolytic activity in amphipathic α-helical antimicrobial peptides: antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative pathogens, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

摘要

It is urgent to develop new classes of antimicrobial agents due to the rapidly growing problem of increased resistance to classical antibiotics. Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are two increasingly problematic hospital-associated Gram-negative pathogens due to dramatic increases in the incidence of antibiotic-resistant species. In a recent study in Mexico, 550 clinical isolates of A. baumannii and 250 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were analyzed for the prevalence of multi-drug resistance [1]. 74% of A. baumannii and 34% of P. aeruginosa were multi-drug resistant.