Editorial [ Infectious Disorders Drug Targets - An Arsenal of Knowledge on Pathogen Targets ]

Infectious disorders have always received special attention due to their global importance in human health. Recently this area has been in special focus due to increased global biological threats, bioterrorism and prominent media coverage given to some recent infectious disease epidemics [1, 2]. Global climate changes have also led to an increased risk of infectious diseases [3]. Reemergence of the infectious diseases and continuous emergence of drug resistance strains of the pathogens underscores the need for identification of new agents; indeed, the building and continuous augmentation of an “armamentarium of multiple drugs” is necessary to cope up with the problem of further development of resistance [4]. The conventional approaches to drug discovery, particularly the technologies of in vitro individual target-based and pathogen culture-based screening, may not be sufficient to sustain this level of innovation and drug discovery/development. Additionally, morbidity and mortality attributable to tropical diseases, particularly the parasitic infections including malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis (new and old world) are staggering. Together they are a tremendous burden in morbidity, mortality, and economic hardship. More than half of the world's population is currently at risk of infection with one or the other tropical disease pathogens. In addition, it has been estimated that almost one third of world's population has been exposed to tuberculosis. Therefore TB and tropical infections collectively are a major global health predicament. Despite of this, tropical parasitic diseases and TB have been largely ignored in relation to advances in modern drug discovery. Infectious Disorders Drug Targets (IDDT) shall continue with the mission to provide a high impact platform for discussions on new discoveries, recent developments and critical evaluation of the knowledge on novel drug & vaccine targets of infectious disease pathogens as well as recent technological advancements in this important area related to global health. The technological advancements and accumulation of wealth of information on infectious disease pathogens have resulted into an augmented interest and exponential rise in the knowledge regarding distinct biochemical, molecular and functional characteristics of potential target enzyme as well as metabolic pathways of the pathogens [5-9]. A few selected examples of these advancements are sequencing of pathogen genomes; whole pathogen genome expression analysis, target and pathways analysis through DNA/protein microarrays & global expression profiling of the pathogen genomes; high throughput structural and functional genomics; molecular targets-based high throughput screening approaches; generation of large compound libraries directed to special molecular-targets; fragmented screening of privileged chemical libraries; live cell bio-imaging technologies; renewed interests and application of high impact technologies in natural products as important source of novel pharmacophores. These developments have resulted into a paradigm shift in approach of new drug discovery against the infectious disorders. The pathogen genome data, functional genomics and system biology approaches have helped in construction/reconstruction of almost complete metabolic maps of the pathogens [10]. This information has been useful in identification of metabolic pathways, enzymes, receptors, cellular function, which are unique to the pathogens [11]. Such knowledge can be directly applied to molecular-targets based drug-design. The process of new drug discovery is a mammoth task which requires gigantic investments, and in light of the low level of profitability associated with the treatments for tropical parasitic diseases, discovery efforts have not been sufficiently systematic, rigorous and comprehensive. Although the incidences of parasitic infections are mostly centered in tropical regions, the impacts, especially economic, of the disease are global. Emergence of few Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs), for example Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV); Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiatives (DNDi); Global Funds to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and interests of governmental and non-profit agencies has greatly stimulated the research for discovery and development of new drugs against the neglected infectious diseases [12]. Continuing with the legacy of predecessors future missions of IDDT would be targeted to present critical analysis of common target enzymes/metabolic pathways of the infectious disease pathogens, compilation of up-to-date information on molecular approaches for controlling emerging infectious diseases, SARS and other related viral pathogens, skin infectious diseases, Prion diseases, neglected eukaryotic infectious pathogens e.g., parasitic helminthes, Apicomplexan parasites and trypanosomatids. An special IDDT issue dedicated to in silico approaches in study of pathogen targets, including the comparative structural analysis of potential common target enzymes shall be applied to new drug discovery research.