In Silico Approaches for Prioritizing Drug Targets in Pathogens

Antimicrobial resistance is a natural evolutionary process in response to antimicrobial exposure; however, the indiscriminate use of antimicrobials is accelerating this progression. The development of resistance happens when microorganisms evolve mechanism to evade damage caused by the contact with antimicrobial drugs, such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and anthelmintics, which involves genetic changes. Infections with resistant pathogens also prompt a higher health care cost (estimated budget of $20 billion annually in the United States) compared to non-resistant infections due to longer duration of illness/hospitalization, additional tests and use of more expensive drugs.