Biochemical, Molecular, and Computational Techniques for the Determination of Virulence Factors of ESKAPE Pathogens

Emerging antibiotic resistance and its spreading dynamics have reached an alarming level, a global challenge. Overuse and Misuse of effective antibiotics raised the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant bacteria (XDR) that ultimately cause treatment failures. Among all the clinical pathogens the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the most common critical pathogen in hospital settings. The most listed six pathogenic bacteria that possess multidrug resistance and virulence are Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. that refer as ESKAPE pathogens. Acquisition of resistance in bacteria is mediated by the transcription of virulence genes that produce virulence proteins/factors. Virulence factors significantly influence pathogenesis and infections evading the host immune system. Therefore, the determination and quantification of these virulence factors via biochemical, molecular, and computational techniques are essential for discovering new therapies that can combat antibiotic resistance in the future. In this chapter, we have listed different techniques for the determination of virulence factors in ESKAPE pathogens.