TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing clinical microbiology for genomic surveillance of antimicrobial resistance implementation in Africa
AU - Kajumbula, Henry M.
AU - Amoako, Daniel Gyamfi
AU - Tessema, Sofonias K.
AU - Aworh, Mabel Kamweli
AU - Chikuse, Francis
AU - Okeke, Iruka N.
AU - Okomo, Uduak
AU - Jallow, Sabelle
AU - Egyir, Beverly
AU - Kanzi, Aquillah M.
AU - Sesay, Abdul Karim
AU - Alimi, Yewande Habibat
AU - Duedu, Kwabena O.
AU - Perovic, Olga
PY - 2024/11/13
Y1 - 2024/11/13
N2 - Surveillance is essential in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), to monitor the extent of resistance, inform prevention, control measures, and evaluate intervention progress. Traditional surveillance methods based on phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility data offer important but limited insights into resistance mechanisms, transmission networks, and spread patterns of resistant bacterial strains. Fortunately, genomic technologies are increasingly accessible and can overcome these limitations. Genomics has the potential to advance traditional bacteriology in routine diagnosis and surveillance, it often relies on the initial isolation of bacterial strains from clinical specimens using conventional culture methods. Culture-based phenotypic characteristics are essential for making inferences about newly recognized genomic patterns. The Africa CDC Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI) aims to enhance disease surveillance and public health partnerships through integrated, cross-continent laboratory networks equipped with the tools, human resource capacity and data infrastructure to fully leverage critical genomic sequencing technologies. For genomic surveillance of AMR, it is essential to optimize routine clinical microbiology laboratory services that are weak in many African countries. In this review, we outline shortcomings in clinical microbiology laboratories across Africa that compromise pathogen genomic epidemiology. We emphasize the necessity of investing in bacteriology and enhancing leadership capacity to fully capitalize on the advantages offered by genomic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance.
AB - Surveillance is essential in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), to monitor the extent of resistance, inform prevention, control measures, and evaluate intervention progress. Traditional surveillance methods based on phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility data offer important but limited insights into resistance mechanisms, transmission networks, and spread patterns of resistant bacterial strains. Fortunately, genomic technologies are increasingly accessible and can overcome these limitations. Genomics has the potential to advance traditional bacteriology in routine diagnosis and surveillance, it often relies on the initial isolation of bacterial strains from clinical specimens using conventional culture methods. Culture-based phenotypic characteristics are essential for making inferences about newly recognized genomic patterns. The Africa CDC Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI) aims to enhance disease surveillance and public health partnerships through integrated, cross-continent laboratory networks equipped with the tools, human resource capacity and data infrastructure to fully leverage critical genomic sequencing technologies. For genomic surveillance of AMR, it is essential to optimize routine clinical microbiology laboratory services that are weak in many African countries. In this review, we outline shortcomings in clinical microbiology laboratories across Africa that compromise pathogen genomic epidemiology. We emphasize the necessity of investing in bacteriology and enhancing leadership capacity to fully capitalize on the advantages offered by genomic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance.
UR - https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/15972/
U2 - 10.1186/s13756-024-01472-8
DO - 10.1186/s13756-024-01472-8
M3 - Article
SN - 2047-2994
VL - 13
JO - Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control
JF - Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control
IS - 1
ER -