WHO warns of four new super-resistant bacteria that are more dangerous to health: ‘Threat has increased’

The World Health Organization (WHO) published this Friday its new list of priority bacterial pathogens corresponding to 2024, in which There are 15 families of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are divided into three categories (critical, high and moderate) to make prioritization easier. This list provides recommendations for obtaining new treatments needed to stop the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

WHO explains that antimicrobial resistance occurs when these drugs lose their activity against bacteria. viruses, fungi and parasites. As a result, the diseases they cause become more serious and the risk of their spread increases. and are transmitted to more people, causing greater morbidity and mortality. The main cause of resistance is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials.

In this updated list we have included new evidence and information provided by experts that will be useful in the investigation and the development of new antibiotics, promote international coordination and stimulate innovation.

“To develop a list of priority bacterial pathogens, the global burden of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria was determined and its impact on public health was analyzed. This list is therefore essential to guide investment and overcome barriers that hinder access to and access to new antibiotics. The threat of antimicrobial resistance has increased since the first list was published in 2017.which undermines the effectiveness of many antibiotics and could reverse many of the advances in modern medicine,” explained WHO Acting Deputy Director-General for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance Yukiko Nakatani.

According to WHO, critical priority pathogens such as Gram-negative bacteria resistant to antibiotics of last resort, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to the antibiotic rifampicin., pose a very serious threat worldwide due to the frequency of diseases they cause, as well as their ability to resist treatment and transmit resistance to other bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria can find new ways to resist treatment and transfer genetic material to other bacteria, making them also resistant.

High-priority pathogens such as Salmonella and Shigella cause high morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries, as do Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, which cause serious problems in health care settings, they report from the WHO.

Other High-priority pathogens such as drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Enterococcus faecium pose unique public health challenges.such as persistent infections and resistance to certain antibiotics, which require public health intervention and specific research.

Medium priority pathogens include group A and B streptococci (added to the list in 2024), Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, which cause a high burden of disease. According to WHO, these pathogens require more careful surveillance, especially for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly, especially in resource-limited settings.

“Antimicrobial resistance is challenging our ability effectively treat infections with high morbidity and mortality, such as tuberculosis, leading to severe morbidity and increased mortality,” said WHO Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases Jerome Salomon.

The 2024 list also highlights A comprehensive public health approach is needed to address antimicrobial resistance.including universal access to quality and affordable measures to prevent, diagnose and properly treat infections.

Changes to the 2024 list of bacterial pathogens compared to the 2017 list.

Five pathogen-antibiotic combinations included in the 2017 list were removed from the 2024 list and Four new combinations have been added. WHO assures that Enterobacteriaceae resistant to third-generation cephalosporins are independently identified as a critical priority, highlighting their burden of morbidity and mortality and the need for specific measures to control them, especially in low- and middle-income countries. .

In addition, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been upgraded from critical to high priority, reflecting recent reports of declining resistance worldwide. Nevertheless, WHO believes that it remains important to invest in research and development and other strategies for the prevention and control of this infection.given the high burden it poses in some regions.