Combining forces to combat the persistent issue of antibiotic resistance, the Combative Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) have joined hands to address the rising threat of gonorrhea. This prevalent sexually transmitted infection affects millions globally, particularly within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), prompting this pivotal partnership to explore preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions.
With around 82 million new gonorrhea infections each year and Africa bearing the brunt of the impact, the need for effective strategies has never been clearer. According to the World Health Organization, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium responsible for gonorrhea, has grown resistant to nearly all available antibiotic treatments over the years. The only remaining standard treatment is ceftriaxone, and without urgent interventions, the potential for significant public health issues looms large. This partnership will kick off with assessments of clinical needs across eight LMICs, aiming to identify market barriers and solutions for improved healthcare access.
Erin Duffy, PhD, CARB-X’s Chief of Research and Development, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, citing CHAI's two-decade experience with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as beneficial. "We aim to leverage existing work and share our findings broadly, ensuring all entities involved can make impactful contributions to gonorrhea interventions," she stated.
But this partnership is just one front of the antibiotic resistance battle. Another compelling study out of France has raised eyebrows concerning the antibiotic prescribing practices for pneumonia. The research found more than two-thirds of patients with negative chest X-rays still received antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), which significantly raises concerns about antibiotic overprescribing.
This prospective cross-sectional study analyzed 259 patients suspected of suffering from CAP, tracking the influence of chest radiography results on physician decisions. While French guidelines demand positive X-ray results for diagnosing CAP, they fall short on directives for negative results. Of the surveyed patients, most who received treatment had positive X-ray outcomes, but surprisingly, 68.7 percent of those with negative tests were still prescribed antibiotics. These findings suggest the need for clear guidelines on antibiotic initiation when X-rays yield negative results.
"The influence of negative chest X-ray results seems minimal on the decision to prescribe antibiotics," the research team observed, indicating the potential for unnecessary prescriptions and subsequent resistance development.
Meanwhile, amid these studies focusing on antimicrobial stewardship, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is actively investing more than $44 million to strengthen the supply chain for those very medicines. This includes significant investments directed at producers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and key materials, enabling domestic production to bolster preparedness for healthcare demands amid crises.
Specifically, $32.4 million will support Manus Bio, focusing on advanced biomanufacturing techniques for medicinal chemicals. Simultaneously, Antheia will receive $12 million to produce pharmaceutical ingredients, helping secure the supply chain for medicines Americans rely on, especially during national emergencies. HHS officials assert the necessity of these investments, proclaiming the importance of restoring U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Yet, amid these innovations and initiatives, the COVID-19 pandemic has had lasting effects, particularly highlighted by recent research indicating significant losses within pediatric hospital admissions across the U.S. A stark 17.2 percent decrease was reported when comparing data from 2019 to 2021 due to the pandemic and its resultant shifts. Notably, hospitals earmarked for non-neonatal pediatric care saw a marked drop, representing troubling access disparities particularly acute among Medicaid populations.
Matthew Davis, MD, emphasized the urgency to recover pediatric services, asserting, "Rapid, uncontrolled closure of pediatric hospital services presents public health challenges,'' indicating significant long-term consequences for children's health care. "We need to develop national plans to sustain pediatric hospital services to meet the demands of child health effectively."
The interconnection of all these initiatives points to the growing recognition of the need for comprehensive strategies to tackle antimicrobial resistance on multiple fronts. From partnerships addressing specific infections like gonorrhea, to investments securing the drug supply chain, and calls to action on pediatric healthcare accessibility, stakeholders across various sectors are galvanizing efforts to mitigate both immediate and longer-term public health challenges stemming from antibiotic resistance.
