Thomas A, Almsallaty N, Chalati T, Boateng J, Buanz A, Totea AM, et al.
International journal of pharmaceutics. Date of publication 2025 Nov 10;volume 684():126030.
1. Int J Pharm. 2025 Nov 10;684:126030. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.126030. Epub
2025 Aug 14.
Role of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in cutaneous infections:
Current treatments and therapeutic approaches for future advancement.
Thomas A(1), Almsallaty N(2), Chalati T(1), Boateng J(1), Buanz A(1), Totea
AM(3).
Author information:
(1)School Science, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich,
Central Avenue, Chatham ME4 4TB, UK.
(2)Ironstone Centre, HCRG Care Group, NHS, West Street, Scunthorpe, South
Humberside DN15 6HX, UK.
(3)School Science, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich,
Central Avenue, Chatham ME4 4TB, UK. Electronic address:
A.Totea@greenwich.ac.uk.
Antibiotics are often prescribed as a first-line treatment for bacterial skin
infections, particularly in severe and persistent cases. However, the ability of
the pathogen to develop antibiotic resistance complicates the treatment of these
diseases. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the
primary microorganisms implicated in skin and soft tissue infections, such as
cellulitis, impetigo, and infections secondary to atopic dermatitis (AD) and has
exerted significant pressure on the healthcare industry due to its resistance to
conventional antibiotics, including beta-lactams. Skin infections caused by this
Gram-positive superbug can occur in individuals even without commonly known risk
factors, and thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic
strategies that function beyond traditional antibiotics. Research on alternative
treatments, including plant-derived compounds, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs),
bacteriophages, and antibiotic sensitisers, is garnering attention as a
promising and innovative approach. Numerous studies have demonstrated the
capacity of these compounds to inhibit pathogenic bacteria such as MRSA. These
novel compounds target bacteria through diverse mechanisms, inhibit biofilm
formation, and mitigate resistance development. Topically administered
treatments are preferred for MRSA-related skin infections; however,
cytotoxicity, skin penetration, and in vivo efficacy testing remain significant
challenges. This review provides an overview of the mechanisms contributing to
the pathogenesis of MRSA skin infections and investigates alternative
therapeutic options to the common antibiotics. An indirect antibacterial
approach that uses conventional antibiotics combined with non-antibiotics aims
to enhance therapeutic efficacy and overcome resistance by disrupting bacterial
defences and biofilm formation, thereby reducing the required antibiotic dosage
and minimising adverse effects.
Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.126030
PMID: 40818552 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors
declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal
relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this
paper.
