Species-Specific Antimicrobial Pharmacotherapy – Challenges and Future Directions

Species-specific pharmacotherapy has revolutionized antimicrobial therapy, placing greater emphasis on pathogen-based approaches to enhance therapeutic effectiveness while simultaneously mitigating the development of resistance and reducing the toxicity associated with antimicrobial agents. In this overview, we consider current strategies for managing the most prevalent categories of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, with a specific focus on species-based diagnostics, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamics optimization, and precision medicine. Genomic-based drug design, molecular and functional diagnostics, drug repurposing, and biologic supplements have revolutionized the field of antimicrobials, allowing targeted approaches towards multi-drug-resistant MDR pathogens, which provide cures targeting antimicrobial pharmacotherapy, as well as proof demonstrating the importance of species-specific treatment in current medical treatment and forthcoming developments in the era of personalized and precision medicine.