With over 700,000 people losing the battle to <span style="color: #ff6600;"><a style="color: #ff6600;" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/in/en/home/clinical/clinical-microbiology/antimicrobial-susceptibility-testing.html">antimicrobial resistance (AMR)</a></span> every year and an additional 10 million projected mortality by 2050, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is globally, one of the major causes of public health concern. Amongst the several types of AMR, a<span style="color: #ff6600;"><a style="color: #ff6600;" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/in/en/home/clinical/clinical-microbiology/antimicrobial-susceptibility-testing.html">ntibacterial resistance (ABR)</a> </span>is currently posing serious challenges to medical science. Facets driving AMR include self-medication, access to antibiotics without prescription, and lack of knowledge to use antibiotics. Additionally, perceived patient demand, fear of losing patients, diagnostic uncertainty, a heavy patient load resulting in less time to counsel against antibiotics and lack of continuing medical education cause rise in the AMR cases.

[caption id="attachment_6863" align="alignleft" width="145"]<img class="wp-image-6863" src="https://microbiozindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/THERMO-199x300.png" alt="" width="145" height="219" /> <strong>Amit Chopra Managing Director</strong> ,India and Middle East Thermo Fisher Scientific[/caption]

India has some of the highest AMR rates among bacteria that commonly cause infections in the community and healthcare facilities like resistance to  broad-spectrum antibiotics fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporin, resistance to carbapenems among various gram-negative bacteria was extremely high. With the increasing use of colistin for treatment of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections, colistin resistance among gram-negative bacteria has emerged in India.

<strong>Tailor-made Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) to address unique needs</strong>

To effectively combat antimicrobial resistance, there is a need for faster and more reliable <span style="color: #ff6600;"><a style="color: #ff6600;" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/in/en/home/clinical/clinical-microbiology/antimicrobial-susceptibility-testing.html">antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) devices.</a></span> Obtaining an accurate minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ensures the correct dosage of an antimicrobial or antibiotic to limit resistance, which is vital in expanding patient treatment options and improving patient outcomes.

A true MIC reveals the difference between whether a bacterial isolate is susceptible, how susceptible the organism is against a drug, and the exact point at which the isolate becomes resistant. However, some AST systems calculate the MIC value by extrapolating growth curves and applying dedicated algorithms.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, offers the widest range of testing options to combat antimicrobial resistance, reducing healthcare-associated infections. The <span style="color: #ff6600;"><a style="color: #ff6600;" href="https://www.thermofisher.com/in/en/home/clinical/clinical-microbiology/antimicrobial-susceptibility-testing.html">Thermo Scientific</a></span> Sensititre system generates MIC results based on the actual growth of the organism. An MIC based on direct measurement reveals whether a bacterial isolate is susceptible to a drug, evaluates the susceptibility of the organism and the exact point at which the isolate becomes resistant. With over 300 antimicrobials available in extended dilution ranges, the Sensititre System allows to consolidate susceptibility tests while meeting FDA, CLSI and EUCAST breakpoint requirements.

Increased infections caused by drug-resistant organisms result in increased mortality and prolonged duration of hospitalization, causing a significant financial burden to the affected person and healthcare systems, as well as hinder goals of sustainable development. There is a need to promote antibiotic de-escalation and antibiotic stewardship with a multidisciplinary approach to develop products that are adapted to meet the unique needs of individual lab space, budget requirements, and help microbiology labs provide results that reduce uncertainty for critical care decisions.