Foodborne ESKAPE Biofilms and Antimicrobial Resistance: lessons Learned from Clinical Isolates

ABSTRACT

The ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) are identified to be multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pan drug-resistant (PDR); thereby, imposing severe challenges in the treatment of associated infections. ESKAPE pathogens colonize on various biotic and abiotic surfaces; biofilms formed by these pathogens are a potential source for food contamination. Moreover, biofilms play a pivotal role in the development of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) strains. Hence, the frequent isolation of antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPE pathogens from food products across the globe imposes a threat to public health. A comprehensive understanding of the adhesion signaling involved in the polymicrobial and single-species biofilm will assist in developing alternative preservation techniques and novel therapeutic strategies to combat ESKAPE pathogens. The review provides a comprehensive overview of the signaling mechanisms that prevail in the ESKAPE pathogens for adhesion to abiotic and biotic surfaces and molecular mechanisms associated with poly-microbial biofilm-assisted AMR in ESKAPE.

KEYWORDS:

• ESKAPE
• polymicrobial
• biofilms
• antimicrobial resistance
• signaling

Acknowledgments

AP is supported by the ERASMUS+ grant. RB and PK are supported by the junior research fellowship program of the Symbiosis International (Deemed University).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

AP searched the data, wrote the article, and reviewed and edited the manuscript before submission. RB and PK searched data and wrote the article. SD prepared an outline of the review and critically reviewed and edited the manuscript before submission. All authors made substantial contributions in the preparation of the manuscript and have read and approved the final submitted manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Ramalingaswami fellowship program of Department of Biotechnology, India under grant BT/RLF/Re-entry/41/2015; Major research project grant of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) under grant SIU/SCRI/MJRP-Approval/2019/1556; ERASMUS+ under grant 598515-EPP-1-2018-1-IN-EPPKA2-CBHE-JPDepartment of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology [BT/RLF/Re-entry/41/2015]; Major research project grant of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) [SIU/SCRI/MJRP-Approval/2019/1556].