Vaccines to Overcome Antibiotic Resistance: The Challenge of Burkholderia cenocepacia

Abstract

Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are at particular risk of infection by microorganisms that are resistant to several antibiotics. About 3% of CF patients are colonized by Burkholderia cenocepacia, and this represents a major threat because of its intrinsic high level of drug resistance and the lack of a safe and effective treatment protocol. The development of anti-Burkholderia vaccines is a valuable and complementary approach, but only a few studies have been reported to date. In this review we discuss recent advances in the vaccine field and how new technologies, including structural reverse vaccinology, could drive the design of an effective vaccine against B. cenocepacia for use in preventive and therapeutic applications.

Keywords: antibiotic resistance; cystic fibrosis, Burkholderia cenocepacia; vaccines.