Experts prefer whole genome sequencing as viable option to identify & characterize bacteria as concerns of AMR escalate
As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a growing threat to global public health, challenging the effectiveness of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs, medical experts suggest whole genome sequencing as a viable option to identify and characterize the bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites, along with their transmission pattern.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines that are used to treat infections. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infectious, making it difficult to treat the infection and leading to fatality.
According to the National Library of Medicine, AMR has the potential to vanquish over 10 million people annually by 2050, surpassing the mortality rate of both Malaria and AIDS.
Dr Chitali Nikam, director, infexn, HaystackAnalytics, a HealthTech company developing clinical genomics products, said that to address the urgent health concern of AMR, researchers and healthcare experts have begun embracing innovative technologies such as whole genome sequencing. These approaches aim to efficiently combat antibiotic resistance and its impact on health.
Advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) have challenged traditional views of sterile and pathogens by uncovering a fraction of microbial species we couldn’t culture before. Exploring the virome and microbiome has revealed new pathogens in established communities and familiar ones in new areas within the human body. NGS is now the go-to for discovery, particularly boosted during the Covid-19 pandemic, solidifying its future as the standard in microbiological investigations. While rapid technologies like MALDI-TOF MS, exist, they lack the ability to detect resistance genes as they struggle with specificity due to screening a broad pathogen spectrum and limited gene detection, added Dr Nikam.
Technologies like whole genome sequencing helps the healthcare professionals to decipher the blueprint of DNA of an individual, providing insights into an individual’s DNA, transmission pattern, microbial genetics and resistance mechanisms. This technology plays an important role to combat AMR and helps doctors to understand the reason behind the antibiotic resistance.
Additionally, it also helps the healthcare professionals to eliminate traditional culture-based methods for identifying pathogens and determining their susceptibility to antibiotics by providing accurate diagnosis of microbial species and their resistance pattern. This allows the patients to get timely and effective care regimen, and minimize the cost and period of the treatment. Incorporating whole genome sequencing during the clinical diagnosis helps in examining the transmission patterns of the resistant strains and controlling the spread of resistant microbes in the body, noted Dr Nikam.
Newly emerging pathogens, including those highlighted in the WHO’s list of priority bacterial and fungal pathogens, present novel threats. A significant milestone has been reached with the WHO’s introduction of a fungal pathogen list, marking the first time such a comprehensive list has been established. This emphasizes the escalating concern regarding fungal infections, especially among individuals with compromised immune systems.
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