Date of Completion

Spring 5-10-2022

Thesis Advisor(s)

P Rossi

Honors Major

Molecular and Cell Biology

Disciplines

Bacterial Infections and Mycoses | Bacteriology | Molecular Biology | Pathogenic Microbiology

Abstract

The ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) are the leading cause of all nosocomial, or healthcare-associated (HAI), infections (Navidinia, 2016). The purpose of this research study is to determine the burden of ESKAPE infections on healthcare and study the antibiotic resistance in these high-risk pathogens to provide direction for researchers to develop new antimicrobial innovations to reduce ESKAPE infectivity and improve patient outcomes. To study the burden of ESKAPE infections, this review analyzes the current statistics explaining the clinical prevalence of each pathogen in causing HAIs. Additionally, each pathogen is investigated to determine the health risks and factors that make certain communities more susceptible to infection. To study the mechanisms of resistance, numerous studies across molecular biology are utilized to provide a comprehensive report of existing and emerging resistance patterns.

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