Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), specifically multidrug resistance (MDR), has become a global health threat. With projections for approximately 10 million deaths per year by 2050, it is primarily driven by the increasing unnecessary use of antibiotics due to prolonged diagnostic testing turnaround times to confirm pathogens causing infection and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles.
The emergence of MDR results from the continuous gain and loss of Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) and the transfer of ARGs among bacteria by various mechanisms, including the accumulation of resistance genes on mobile genetic elements (MGEs), mainly by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Such transfers could happen both in natural and clinical environments and usually depend on the population's selection pressure.
Prompt intervention is required to prevent the continued misuse and overuse of antibiotics, particularly in animal agriculture and human prescriptions. Communication among the scientific and medical communities is also needed to keep pace with the evolving MDR microorganisms by understanding the mechanisms of MDR and limiting the spread of ARGs in pathogenic bacteria.
Impactful and straightforward measures like accurately identifying pathogens with a quick turnaround time to avoid unintended excessive use of antibiotics could significantly limit the spread of MDR. Acutis Reveal™, our infectious disease line of testing, can help.
Acutis Reveal™ identifies the presence of specific pathogens and determines whether the infection is viral, bacterial, or parasitic in nature in a measurably faster turnaround time, usually delivering results in one business day. By providing deeper information with PCR-guided antimicrobial sensitivity information, clinicians can devise the most personal course of therapy while expecting positive outcomes with greater certainty.
Get in touch with us today and click here for more information.
