With over 2 million infections per year in the United States alone, resistance among bacterial pathogens has become a serious threat to public health. To guide antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) research and drug development, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a list of priority pathogens based on transmissibility and preventability, recent trends and prevalence of resistance, healthcare burden, and global mortality. The list is organized into three levels: critical, high, and medium priority pathogens.
Because current treatment options for multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are limited, it has necessitated the development of novel prevention methods and therapeutics. ATCC understands the danger and growing concern behind the spread of AMR bacteria, which is why we have made it a priority to provide the authenticated environmental and clinical strains needed to support this field of research. Our growing collection of AMR strains provides researchers with the essential tools needed for the development of novel antimicrobials and therapeutics, molecular-based detection assays, and updated sterility protocols.
Resources for drug-resistant bacteria
The Rise of Multidrug Resistant Strains and the Need for New Therapeutic Approaches
The emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms in both community- and hospital-acquired infections is resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expense. The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance calls for a new approach. In this white paper, we discuss novel therapeutic protocols and the importance of antimicrobial-resistant reference strains in reducing the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant infections.
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Bacteriophage Therapy—An Alternative Approach to Treating Multidrug-resistant Infections
As antibiotic resistance spreads, we must think outside of the box when it comes to the prevention and treatment of disease. Bacteriophage therapy, first used in the 1920s, could be one possible solution. Bacteriophages invade bacterial cells and, if the bacteriophage is lytic, will take over the host machinery to make more phage components, eventually resulting in cell lysis. Because bacteriophages are species-specific, and in some cases strain-specific, they can be used to target the infecting pathogen without harming human cells or surrounding microflora. This is in stark contrast to the use of antibiotics, which affects the entire microbiome of the patient.
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