Antimicrobial Insights

Abstract

The Black Death was a plague pandemic in the 14th century that wreaked havoc and claimed the lives of an estimated 200 million people. As the disease spread, entire towns and villages were wiped out, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The disease originated from fleas on rats and spread rapidly through flea bites. It had disastrous consequences, causing fear, panic and reducing the population of many societies. But how much do we really know about the origins, transmission routes and consequences of this deadly medieval killer?

Abstract

Jeg er helt sikker på, at et stærkere netværk på tværs af Europa vil gavne både danske farmaceuter og vores kolleger i andre europæiske lande, siger Susie Stærk Ekstrand. Ni europæiske farmaceutforeninger har stiftet EPA, men organisationen håber, at det nye samarbejde kan være med til at sikre, at der bliver etableret endnu flere medlemsorganisationer for farmaceuter og life science-professionelle i Europa. Mark Koziol, der er formand for britiske The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), bliver EPA-formand, mens Greta Torbergsen, der er generalsekretær for Norges Farmaceutiske Forening, og Piotr Merks, der er generalsekretær for den polske farmaceutforening ZZPF, bliver næstformænd. Vi er specialister i life science, og vi deltager aktivt i den politiske debat, så vi er med til at sikre en stærk life science-branche i Danmark."

Abstract

Multidrug-resistant pathogens pose an urgent threat The CDC report highlights the 19 drug-resistant pathogens responsible for the 9.7 million annual infections—four of them labeled as urgent threats, 13 as serious threats, and two as concerning threats—along with a watch list" of six additional pathogens the agency is keeping an eye on. Topping the list of urgent threats identified by the CDC is Candida auris, a fungus that's almost completely resistant to one class of antifungal medications and has shown emerging resistance to the other two. Tom Chiller, MD, MPHTM, former chief of the Mycotic Diseases Branch at the CDC, said the limited number of antifungal medications makes it challenging to treat resistant C auris infections, which are fatal in 29% to 62% of patients. Though the CDC says the overall burden of drug-resistant dermatophytes is not well understood, more cases are being reported in the United States and globally, and Chiller says that they can account for more than half of the cases seen at clinics in India."

Abstract

The Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report assesses threats according to seven factors: Clinical impact Economic impact Current number of new infections identified in the United States Projected change in the number of new infections over the next five years in the United States Transmissibility, or how easily a pathogen spreads or causes infections Preventability or the availability, effectiveness, and extent of prevention measures—such as pathogen-specific infection control recommendations or vaccines—and barriers that exist for widespread prevention Availability of effective antibiotics, antifungals, and treatments CDC focuses on domestic impact when assessing and assigning threat level. Methods to Determine Overall Burden Estimates CDC aggregated the 2023 estimates for the 19 urgent, serious, and concerning threats identified in this report to estimate the total number of infections and deaths and associated statistical uncertainty. The 2026 update to the AR Threats Report provides the most comprehensive estimate of the impact of drug-resistant pathogens on human health in the United States to date. This report includes both hospitalized and non-hospitalized C. diff cases, offering a more comprehensive picture of C. diff's burden in the United States Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) transitioned from an urgent to a serious threat in 2026 due in part to successful infection prevention actions, especially in healthcare settings where CDC has measured declines in cases since 2011.

Abstract

The high HIV and TB infection rates in South Africa increase the risk of lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) caused by these bacteria, says Dr. Lee Heine, the lead author of the study. If patients are already immunocompromised, then the risk of death due to pneumonia caused by a multidrug-resistant strain of one of these bacteria increases, as they are likely to spread to the bloodstream and cause sepsis." Highly vulnerable population The ESKAPE pathogens are grouped this way because they have the ability to 'escape' the activity of an increasing number of antibiotics, says Heine. Growing global problem The clinic and NICU in the studies are among the many medical facilities all over the world struggling to reduce the numbers of patients getting ill with LRIs during their treatment."