Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a major and escalating global health threat, undermining the effectiveness of current antibiotic and antimicrobial therapies. The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria has led to increasingly difficult-to-treat infections, resulting in higher morbidity, morta...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wenwen Ding, Yiwen Cheng, Xia Liu, Zhangcheng Zhu, Lingbin Wu, Jie Gao, Wenhui Lei, Yating Li, Xin Zhou, Jian Wu, Yongtao Gao, Zongxin Ling, Ruilai Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1563450/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850038616316706816
author Wenwen Ding
Wenwen Ding
Yiwen Cheng
Xia Liu
Zhangcheng Zhu
Lingbin Wu
Jie Gao
Wenhui Lei
Yating Li
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Jian Wu
Yongtao Gao
Yongtao Gao
Zongxin Ling
Ruilai Jiang
author_facet Wenwen Ding
Wenwen Ding
Yiwen Cheng
Xia Liu
Zhangcheng Zhu
Lingbin Wu
Jie Gao
Wenhui Lei
Yating Li
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Jian Wu
Yongtao Gao
Yongtao Gao
Zongxin Ling
Ruilai Jiang
author_sort Wenwen Ding
collection DOAJ
description Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a major and escalating global health threat, undermining the effectiveness of current antibiotic and antimicrobial therapies. The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria has led to increasingly difficult-to-treat infections, resulting in higher morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Tackling this crisis requires the development of novel antimicrobial agents, optimization of current therapeutic strategies, and global initiatives in infection surveillance and control. Recent studies highlight the crucial role of the human gut microbiota in defending against AMR pathogens. A balanced microbiota protects the body through mechanisms such as colonization resistance, positioning it as a key ally in the fight against AMR. In contrast, gut dysbiosis disrupts this defense, thereby facilitating the persistence, colonization, and dissemination of resistant pathogens. This review will explore how gut microbiota influence drug-resistant bacterial infections, its involvement in various types of AMR-related infections, and the potential for novel microbiota-targeted therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, prebiotics, probiotics, phage therapy. Elucidating the interactions between gut microbiota and AMR pathogens will provide critical insights for developing novel therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat AMR infections. While previous reviews have focused on the general impact of the microbiota on human health, this review will specifically look at the latest research on the interactions between the gut microbiota and the evolution and spread of AMR, highlighting potential therapeutic strategies.
format Article
id doaj-art-5f8c61b9a7e643c2912b410d9312e5fe
institution DOAJ
issn 1664-3224
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Immunology
spelling doaj-art-5f8c61b9a7e643c2912b410d9312e5fe2025-08-20T02:56:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-03-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15634501563450Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteriaWenwen Ding0Wenwen Ding1Yiwen Cheng2Xia Liu3Zhangcheng Zhu4Lingbin Wu5Jie Gao6Wenhui Lei7Yating Li8Xin Zhou9Xin Zhou10Xin Zhou11Xin Zhou12Jian Wu13Yongtao Gao14Yongtao Gao15Zongxin Ling16Ruilai Jiang17Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, ChinaMedical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, Lishui Second People’s Hospital, Lishui, Zhejiang, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaJinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan, Shandong, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United StatesStanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States0Stanford Diabetes Research Center, Stanford, CA, United States1The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, ChinaMedical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Intensive Care Unit, Lishui Second People’s Hospital, Lishui, Zhejiang, ChinaAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a major and escalating global health threat, undermining the effectiveness of current antibiotic and antimicrobial therapies. The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria has led to increasingly difficult-to-treat infections, resulting in higher morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Tackling this crisis requires the development of novel antimicrobial agents, optimization of current therapeutic strategies, and global initiatives in infection surveillance and control. Recent studies highlight the crucial role of the human gut microbiota in defending against AMR pathogens. A balanced microbiota protects the body through mechanisms such as colonization resistance, positioning it as a key ally in the fight against AMR. In contrast, gut dysbiosis disrupts this defense, thereby facilitating the persistence, colonization, and dissemination of resistant pathogens. This review will explore how gut microbiota influence drug-resistant bacterial infections, its involvement in various types of AMR-related infections, and the potential for novel microbiota-targeted therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, prebiotics, probiotics, phage therapy. Elucidating the interactions between gut microbiota and AMR pathogens will provide critical insights for developing novel therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat AMR infections. While previous reviews have focused on the general impact of the microbiota on human health, this review will specifically look at the latest research on the interactions between the gut microbiota and the evolution and spread of AMR, highlighting potential therapeutic strategies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1563450/fullgut microbiotaantimicrobial resistancecolonization resistancebacteriophageprobiotics
spellingShingle Wenwen Ding
Wenwen Ding
Yiwen Cheng
Xia Liu
Zhangcheng Zhu
Lingbin Wu
Jie Gao
Wenhui Lei
Yating Li
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Xin Zhou
Jian Wu
Yongtao Gao
Yongtao Gao
Zongxin Ling
Ruilai Jiang
Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria
Frontiers in Immunology
gut microbiota
antimicrobial resistance
colonization resistance
bacteriophage
probiotics
title Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria
title_full Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria
title_fullStr Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria
title_full_unstemmed Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria
title_short Harnessing the human gut microbiota: an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug-resistant bacteria
title_sort harnessing the human gut microbiota an emerging frontier in combatting multidrug resistant bacteria
topic gut microbiota
antimicrobial resistance
colonization resistance
bacteriophage
probiotics
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1563450/full
work_keys_str_mv AT wenwending harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT wenwending harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT yiwencheng harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT xialiu harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT zhangchengzhu harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT lingbinwu harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT jiegao harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT wenhuilei harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT yatingli harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT xinzhou harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT xinzhou harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT xinzhou harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT xinzhou harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT jianwu harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT yongtaogao harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT yongtaogao harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT zongxinling harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria
AT ruilaijiang harnessingthehumangutmicrobiotaanemergingfrontierincombattingmultidrugresistantbacteria