Title : Extensively drug-resistant bacterial infections: Confronting a global crisis with urgent solutions in prevention, surveillance, and treatment
Abstract:
Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacterial infections represent a growing global crisis with profound impacts on morbidity, mortality, and health system sustainability. These pathogens, resistant to nearly all available antibiotics, are rapidly outpacing our therapeutic options and spreading across international borders through healthcare systems, travel, and community networks. Major culprits include Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with extensive drug resistance. The rising burden of XDR infections is driven by antibiotic overuse, global antibiotic supply chain vulnerabilities, limited infection prevention practices, and gaps in antimicrobial stewardship, particularly in resource-limited settings. This presentation will explore the critical challenges in controlling XDR bacterial infections, including diagnostic delays, high mortality rates, and limited effective treatments. At the same time, it will highlight emerging opportunities: novel antimicrobial agents, phage therapy, microbiome-based approaches, enhanced global surveillance networks, rapid molecular diagnostics, and the critical role of infection prevention and control. Collaborative international efforts, sustained investment in antibiotic research and development, and strengthening public health infrastructure are essential to turn the tide. Confronting this crisis demands urgent, coordinated global action to prevent further spread and safeguard the effectiveness of remaining therapeutic options.
