Advancing beyond conventional vaccines: The potential of next-generation vaccines in combatting antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

BACKGROUND: The global rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, largely driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, has escalated into a serious antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. Traditional vaccine platforms, such as inactivated vaccines (IVs) and live attenuated vaccines (LAVs), have been effective in controlling bacterial infections but face limitations in combating emerging antibiotic-resistant strains, particularly MDR pathogens. The production of traditional vaccines often requires the cultivation of live pathogenic microorganisms, which can be both costly and time-consuming. Moreover, IVs and LAVs may not be effective against emerging MDR strains. There is an urgent need for more efficient vaccine development strategies to combat MDR pathogens. The more promising approaches could be in silico immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology.

OBJECTIVES: This review aims to provide an in-depth examination of the next-generation vaccinology approach, highlighting preclinical and clinical advancements. It emphasizes the importance of developing vaccines that are both safe and immunogenic to address the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

CONTENT: These bioinformatics approaches enable the identification of conserved antigenic targets across multiple strains of resistant bacteria. Multi-epitope vaccines, such as those based on recombinant proteins, DNA, or mRNA, offer the potential for broader protection and faster development timelines. Next-generation vaccines hold promise not only for enhancing immune responses but also for providing a safer and more scalable alternative to traditional vaccines against AMR.