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Pandemics, public health emergencies and antimicrobial resistance - putting the threat in an epidemiologic and risk analysis context

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  • Pandemics, public health emergencies and antimicrobial resistance - putting the threat in an epidemiologic and risk analysis context

    Arch Public Health. 2017 Sep 14;75:54. doi: 10.1186/s13690-017-0223-7. eCollection 2017.
    Pandemics, public health emergencies and antimicrobial resistance - putting the threat in an epidemiologic and risk analysis context.

    MacIntyre CR1,2, Bui CM1.
    Author information

    Abstract

    Public health messaging about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) sometimes conveys the problem as an epidemic. We outline why AMR is a serious endemic problem manifested in hospital and community-acquired infections. AMR is not an epidemic condition, but may complicate epidemics, which are characterised by sudden societal impact due to rapid rise in cases over a short timescale. Influenza, which causes direct viral effects, or secondary bacterial complications is the most likely cause of an epidemic or pandemic where AMR may be a problem. We discuss other possible causes of a pandemic with AMR, and present a risk assessment formula to estimate the impact of AMR during a pandemic. Finally, we flag the potential impact of genetic engineering of pathogens on global risk and how this could radically change the epidemiology of AMR as we know it. Understanding the epidemiology of AMR is key to successfully addressing the problem. AMR is an endemic condition but can play a role in epidemics or pandemics, and we present a risk analysis method for assessing the impact of AMR in a pandemic.


    KEYWORDS:

    AMR; Antimicrobial resistance; Bacterial infections; Disease burden; Genetic engineered pathogens; Influenza; Pandemic; Public health; Risk; Superbug

    PMID: 28924475 PMCID: PMC5597990 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-017-0223-7
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