Novel Approaches for Combating Staphylococcus aureus Infections

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is the most common pathogen in humans, leading to various skin disorders and severe systemic infections like bacteremia and endocarditis. Many bacterial infections have resurfaced without antibiotics, and more virulent strains, such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have quickly developed. This systematic review explores the current and forthcoming S. aureus treatment options, focusing on new approaches apart from antibiotics. According to PUBMED, SCOPUS, and WEB of Sciences database, 80 out of 2439 reviewed articles were considered. New strategies comprise a combination of antibiotics, photodynamic therapy (PDT), bacteriophage therapy, antimicrobial peptides, nanomedicine, antisense RNA, and natural products, each exhibiting unique actions against S. aureus biofilm and its components. Both bacteriophage and P DT treatments appeared to be effective in animal experiments, whereas antibacterial nanomaterials like ZnO and GO-Ag were effective in vitro experiments. Antibody-conjugated nanocarriers and antisense RNA therapies provided a targeted treatment by diminishing the biofilm cohesion and improving the action of antibiotics. The results highlighted these interventions as desirable approaches, alternatives, or complementary to antibiotic use in addressing AIS infections. Nevertheless, it was mentioned that certain existing challenges encompass clinical safety, cost, scalability, and restrictive legislation. These limitations require further research to bring these therapies into clinical practice. This review suggests the necessity of using more than one treatment method to effectively manage S. aureus infections, considering the strengths and weaknesses of each intervention regarding antibiotic resistance and conquering biofilms.