Molecular Adaptations and Antibiotic Resistance in Vibrio cholerae: A Communal Challenge

Abstract

Cholera, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae, remains a major problem in developing countries. Although the disease can be managed by oral rehydration therapy, antibiotics are widely used nowadays to treat the disease. However, chemoprophylaxis has been proven to have no effect on the spread of the disease, but acts as a major driver for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). V. cholerae has evolved different ways to combat antibiotics used against them. This review comprehends the different molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in V. cholerae, gaps in the development of new antibiotics, and the alternative strategies that can be used to treat the disease. The review advocates the use of antivirulence compounds rather than antibacterial compounds as a strategy to limit the increasing AMR. Also, the review expounds the role of community in preventing the diseases and tackling the global burden of AMR.

Keywords: SXT constin; V. cholerae; adaptive laboratory evolution; antimicrobial peptides; multidrug resistance; probiotics.