Introduction: The emergence of multi- and pan-drug-resistant bacteria represents a global crisis that calls for the development of alternative anti-infective strategies. These comprise anti-virulence approaches, which target pathogenicity without exerting a bacteriostatic or bactericidal effect and are claimed to reduce the development of resistance. Because in many pathogens, quorum-sensing (QS) systems control the expression of virulence factors, interference with QS, or quorum-quenching, is often proposed as a strategy with a broad anti-virulence effect.Areas covered: We discuss the role and regulatory targets of QS control in selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, focusing on those with clinical importance and QS control of virulence. We present the components of QS systems that form possible targets for the development of anti-virulence drugs and discuss recent research on quorum-quenching approaches to control bacterial infection.Expert opinion: While there has been extensive research on QS systems and quorum-quenching approaches, there is a paucity of in-vivo research using adequate animal models to substantiate applicability. In-vivo research on QS blockers needs to be intensified and optimized to use clinically relevant setups, in order to underscore that such drugs can be used effectively to overcome problems associated with the treatment of severe infections by antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

中文翻译：

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治疗细菌感染的替代方法：针对群体感应。

简介：多药耐药和泛药耐药细菌的出现代表着全球危机，需要开发替代性的抗感染策略。这些包括抗毒力方法，其靶向致病性而不发挥抑菌或杀菌作用，并据称可减少抗药性的发展。因为在许多病原体中，群体感应（QS）系统控制毒力因子的表达，干扰QS或群体猝灭通常被提议为具有广泛抗毒力作用的策略。涉及的领域：我们讨论了作用和选定革兰氏阳性和革兰氏阴性细菌的QS控制的调控目标，重点在于具有临床重要性和QS毒力控制的细菌。我们介绍了构成抗毒药开发目标的QS系统的组成部分，并讨论了有关控制细菌感染的群体猝灭方法的最新研究专家意见：尽管对QS系统和群体猝灭方法进行了广泛的研究，缺乏足够的动物模型来证实其适用性的体内研究。为了强调QS阻滞剂的体内研究，需要使用与临床相关的设置，以便强调此类药物可以有效地克服与抗生素耐药性病原体治疗严重感染相关的问题。尽管已经对QS系统和群体猝灭方法进行了广泛的研究，但很少使用足够的动物模型来证实其适用性的体内研究。为了强调使用QS阻滞剂的体内研究，需要使用与临床相关的设置，以便强调此类药物可以有效地克服与抗生素耐药性病原体治疗严重感染相关的问题。尽管已经对QS系统和群体猝灭方法进行了广泛的研究，但很少使用足够的动物模型来证实其适用性的体内研究。为了强调QS阻滞剂的体内研究，需要使用与临床相关的设置，以便强调此类药物可以有效地克服与抗生素耐药性病原体治疗严重感染相关的问题。