Antimicrobial resistance takes center stage at ECCMID 2023

Navigating the ever-increasing challenges of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial treatment, has been a key theme at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) 2023 conference.

According to analytics firm GlobalData’s infectious disease analyst Stephanie Kurdach: “AMR often leads to persistent infections, an increased risk of spreading infection to others, severe illness, and possible death. Globally, millions of deaths annually are associated with AMR, and this is expected to increase in the coming decades. This highlights the urgent need to bring new antimicrobials to market.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) presented revised criteria and methodology for its Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (BPPL) – a list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria considered to pose the greatest threat to human health. The objectives of this list include increasing awareness of AMR, reducing the incidence of infection, and sustainably increasing investments in new medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, and other interventions.