Antibiotic Resistance Lab Network

Last updated

The Antibiotic Resistance Lab Network (ARLN) is a group of laboratories of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established to supplement the work of local and state public health laboratories in the identification and research of antibiotic resistance. It was created as part of the CDC's National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria. [1] [2] The network is part of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Laboratories in this network cover seven regions and are located in Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, as part of their state health departments.[ citation needed ]

Antibiotic resistance makes more than 2 million people per year sick. 23,000 people die each year from it. [3]

One of the purposes of the ARLN is the identification of resistance mechanisms. Clinical samples are not routinely tested because it is not needed for patient-level decisions and insurance companies will not reimburse providers. [4] Additionally, the ARLN will bank samples of bacteria containing resistance genes and make them available to researchers for further investigation.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

Antimicrobial resistance Ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials. The term antibiotic resistance is a subset of AMR, as it applies to bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics. Resistant microbes are more difficult to treat, requiring higher doses, or alternative medications which may prove more toxic. These approaches may also be more expensive. Microbes resistant to multiple antimicrobials are called multidrug resistant (MDR).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention United States government public health agency

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Infection Invasion of an organisms body tissues by disease-causing agents

An infection is the invasion of an organism's body tissues by disease-causing agents, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agents and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable disease, is an illness resulting from an infection.

Biosafety Prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health

Biosafety is the prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health. These prevention mechanisms include conduction of regular reviews of the biosafety in laboratory settings, as well as strict guidelines to follow. Biosafety is used to protect from harmful incidents. Many laboratories handling biohazards employ an ongoing risk management assessment and enforcement process for biosafety. Failures to follow such protocols can lead to increased risk of exposure to biohazards or pathogens. Human error and poor technique contribute to unnecessary exposure and compromise the best safeguards set into place for protection.

Group A streptococcal infection Medical condition

A group A streptococcal infection is an infection with group A streptococcus (GAS). Streptococcus pyogenes comprises the vast majority of the Lancefield group A streptococci, and is often used as a synonym for GAS. However, S. dysgalactiae can also be group A. S. pyogenes is a beta-hemolytic species of Gram positive bacteria that is responsible for a wide range of both invasive and noninvasive infections.

Biosafety level Level of the biocontainment precautions required to isolate dangerous biological agents

A biosafety level (BSL), or pathogen/protection level, is a set of biocontainment precautions required to isolate dangerous biological agents in an enclosed laboratory facility. The levels of containment range from the lowest biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) to the highest at level 4 (BSL-4). In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have specified these levels. In the European Union, the same biosafety levels are defined in a directive. In Canada the four levels are known as Containment Levels. Facilities with these designations are also sometimes given as P1 through P4, as in the term P3 laboratory.

Shigellosis Medical condition

Shigellosis is an infection of the intestines caused by Shigella bacteria. Symptoms generally start one to two days after exposure and include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and feeling the need to pass stools even when the bowels are empty. The diarrhea may be bloody. Symptoms typically last five to seven days and it may take several months before bowel habits return entirely to normal. Complications can include reactive arthritis, sepsis, seizures, and hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Tularemia Infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis

Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Symptoms may include fever, skin ulcers, and enlarged lymph nodes. Occasionally, a form that results in pneumonia or a throat infection may occur.

Glanders Horse disease that can be transmitted to humans

Glanders is a contagious zoonotic infectious disease that occurs primarily in horses, mules, and donkeys. It can be contracted by other animals, such as dogs, cats, goats, and humans. It is caused by infection with the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.

Group B streptococcal infection Medical condition

Group B streptococcal infection, also known as Group B streptococcal disease or just Group B strep, is the infection caused by the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae. GBS infection can cause serious illness and sometimes death, especially in newborns, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.

Infectious Diseases Society of America Medical association

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. It was founded in 1963 and is based in Arlington, Virginia. As of 2018 IDSA had more than 11,000 members from across the United States and nearly 100 other countries on six different continents. IDSA's purpose is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases. It is a 501(c)(6) organization.

Medical microbiology Branch of medical science concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases

Medical microbiology, the large subset of microbiology that is applied to medicine, is a branch of medical science concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. In addition, this field of science studies various clinical applications of microbes for the improvement of health. There are four kinds of microorganisms that cause infectious disease: bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses, and one type of infectious protein called prion.

Cefoxitin

Cefoxitin is a second-generation cephamycin antibiotic developed by Merck & Co., Inc. from Cephamycin C in the year following its discovery, 1972. It was synthesized in order to create an antibiotic with a broader spectrum. It is often grouped with the second-generation cephalosporins. Cefoxitin requires a prescription and as of 2010 is sold under the brand name Mefoxin by Bioniche Pharma, LLC. The generic version of cefoxitin is known as cefoxitin sodium.

Gonorrhea Sexually transmitted infection

Gonorrhea, colloquially known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infection may involve the genitals, mouth, or rectum. Infected men may experience pain or burning with urination, discharge from the penis, or testicular pain. Infected women may experience burning with urination, vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding between periods, or pelvic pain. Complications in women include pelvic inflammatory disease and in men include inflammation of the epididymis. Many of those infected, however, have no symptoms. If untreated, gonorrhea can spread to joints or heart valves.

Antibiotic misuse

Antibiotic misuse, sometimes called antibiotic abuse or antibiotic overuse, refers to the misuse or overuse of antibiotics, with potentially serious effects on health. It is a contributing factor to the development of antibiotic resistance, including the creation of multidrug-resistant bacteria, informally called "super bugs": relatively harmless bacteria can develop resistance to multiple antibiotics and cause life-threatening infections.

The smallpox virus retention debate has been going on among scientists and health officials since the smallpox virus was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980. The debate centers on whether or not the last two remnants of the virus known to cause smallpox, which are kept in tightly controlled government laboratories in the United States and Russia, should finally and irreversibly be destroyed. Advocates of final destruction maintain that there is no longer any valid rationale for retaining the samples, which pose the hazard of escaping the laboratories, while opponents of destruction maintain that the samples may still be of value to scientific research, especially since variants of the smallpox virus may still exist in the natural world and thus present the possibility of the disease re-emerging in the future and/or being used as a bio-weapon.

One Health Model

The concept of One Health is the unity of multiple practices that work together locally, nationally, and globally to help achieve optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. When the people, animals, and environment are put together they make up the One Health Triad .The One Health Triad shows how the health of people, animals, and the environment are linked to one another. With One Health being a worldwide concept it makes it easier to advance health care in the 21st century. When this concept is used, and implied properly it can help protect and save the lives of both people, animals, and the environment in the present and future generations.

Antibiotics in poultry farming in America is the controversial prophylactic use of antibiotics in the country's poultry farming industry. This does not represent the position in other countries.

Jordi Casals i Ariet was a Catalan physician and epidemiologist.

References

  1. "Antibiotic Resistance Lab Network | Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Resistance | CDC". Cdc.gov. 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). whitehouse.gov . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-01-20. Retrieved 2017-01-10 via National Archives.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Annual Meeting Report" (PDF). www.aphl.org. 2017. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-12. Retrieved 2017-01-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)