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Combatting antimicrobial resistance | Collections | MSF Science Portal
Combatting antimicrobial resistance

Combatting antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health crisis, especially in countries with fragile health systems, population displacement or ongoing conflict. In 2019 antibiotic-resistant bacteria directly caused an estimated 1.27 million deaths, and contributed to 4.95 million deaths, tolls that will continue to increase if no effective action is taken.

MSF’s approach to combatting antimicrobial resistance combines three pillars: infection prevention and control, microbiology and surveillance, and rational use of antibiotics via antibiotic stewardship. Several studies characterize patterns and prevalence of antibiotic resistance among MSF patients, from civilians wounded in Middle East conflicts to hospitalized neonates in Central African Republic and Haiti. New technologies developed by MSF and partners are expanding local capacity for rapid, accurate laboratory diagnosis of infections, so that clinicians can prescribe the right antibiotic for each patient. Other work assesses the practices and challenges related to optimizing rational antibiotic use within health facilities and communities.

If you're interested in learning more about MSF's work in antimicrobial resistance, view the full list of MSF's publications on the topic.

Collection Content

Journal Article
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Research

Antibiotic consumption in hospitals in humanitarian settings in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and South Sudan

Skender K, Versace G, Lenglet AD, Clezy K
2024-08-15 • Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
2024-08-15 • Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance is of great global public health concern. In order to address the paucity of antibiotic consumption data and antimicrobial resistance surveil...

Conference Material
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Abstract

Antibiogo as an innovative solution to detect antimicrobial resistance: from an operational need to a CE-marked diagnostic test available for low-income and middle-income countries

Rapoud D, Cramer E, Al Asmar M, Sagara F, Ndiaye B,  et al.
2024-05-16 • MSF Scientific Day International 2024
2024-05-16 • MSF Scientific Day International 2024
INTRODUCTION
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to public health and could cause 10 million deaths per year by 2050. Access to high-quality diagnostic tests is a key in...
Journal Article
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Review

Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial wound, skin, soft tissue and surgical site infections in Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Monk EJM, Jones TPW, Bongomin F, Kibone W, Nsubuga Y,  et al.
2024-04-16 • PLOS Global Public Health
2024-04-16 • PLOS Global Public Health
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global threat and AMR-attributable mortality is particularly high in Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Africa. The burden of clinically inf...
Journal Article
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Letter

Antimicrobial resistance in the ongoing Gaza war: a silent threat

Moussally K, Abu-Sittah G, Gomez FG, Fayad AA, Farra A
2023-11-09 • Lancet
2023-11-09 • Lancet
Journal Article
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Commentary

Antimicrobial stewardship in primary health care programs in humanitarian settings: the time to act is now

Truppa C, Alonso B, Clezy K, Deglise C, Dromer C,  et al.
2023-09-04 • Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
2023-09-04 • Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
Fragile and conflict-affected settings bear a disproportionate burden of antimicrobial resistance, due to the compounding effects of weak health policies, disrupted medical supply chains...
Journal Article
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Research

Practices and challenges related to antibiotic use in paediatric treatment in hospitals and health centres in Niger and Uganda: a mixed methods study

Mambula G, Nanjebe D, Munene A, Guindo O, Salifou A,  et al.
2023-07-11 • Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
2023-07-11 • Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control
BACKGROUND
Antibiotic resistance is a significant public health problem and is responsible for high mortality in children and new-borns. Strengthening the rational use of antibiotics...
Journal Article
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Research

When first line treatment of neonatal infection is not enough: blood culture and resistance patterns in neonates requiring second line antibiotic therapy in Bangui, Central African Republic

Nebbioso A, Ogundipe OF, Repetto EC, Mekiedje C, Sanke-Waigana H,  et al.
2021-12-13 • BMC Pediatrics
2021-12-13 • BMC Pediatrics
BACKGROUND
Infectious diseases account for the third most common cause of neonatal deaths. Globally, antibiotic resistance (ABR) has been increasingly challenging neonatal sepsis tre...
Journal Article
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Review

The socioeconomic burden of antibiotic resistance in conflict-affected settings and refugee hosting countries: a systematic scoping review

Kobeissi L, Menassa M, Mousally K, Repetto EC, Soboh I,  et al.
2021-04-06 • Conflict and Health
2021-04-06 • Conflict and Health
BACKGROUND
Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a major global threat. Armed and protracted conflicts act as multipliers of infection and ABR, thus leading to increased healthcare and soci...
Journal Article
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Commentary

The Mini-Lab: accessible clinical bacteriology for low-resource settings

Natale A, Ronat JB, Mazoyer A, Rochard A, Boillot B,  et al.
2020-06-01 • Lancet Microbe
2020-06-01 • Lancet Microbe

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World Malaria Day 2023
World Malaria Day 2023
World Malaria Day is April 25th. The theme for 2023 is "Zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement" and the importance of reaching marginalized populations with the tools and strategies that are currently available. This collection highlights research on this theme, especially the latter two "i's": From research on Seasonal Chemoprophylaxis (SMC) and mass drug administration (MDA), to analyzing the reach of gene mutations (HRP2) in new environments, to other interventional research topics, these articles show how innovative approaches can be successfully implemented even in the most challenging settings to fight this global public health threat.
TB-PRACTECAL Trial—Evidence for a shorter, safer, more effective treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis
TB-PRACTECAL Trial—Evidence for a shorter, safer, more effective treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis
Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) remains an especially deadly form of the ancient scourge of TB, while current treatments are long, toxic, and ineffective for half of all patients. Aiming to change this unacceptable status quo, in the mid-2010’s MSF and partners launched three clinical trials to test novel regimens containing the first new TB drugs in decades. On 22 December 2022 the New England Journal of Medicine published findings from TB-PRACTECAL, a three-country randomized controlled trial, showing that a shorter regimen is safer and cured 89% of DR-TB patients, compared with 52% on the standard of care. These findings have already been incorporated into the World Health Organization’s new TB treatment guidelines. A separate study shows that the new regimen is also more cost-effective. Alongside these results the content collection linked below highlights other aspects of the trial, from community engagement strategies that helped shape TB-PRACTECAL to setbacks arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. It also examines urgent challenges in scaling up access to these life-saving drugs, including affordability and patent barriers.
World NTD Day
World NTD Day

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) impact nearly 1.7 billion people each year, causing serious illness or lifelong disability among many—often leading to stigma and exclusion—and killing an estimated 200,000. The vast majority of sufferers live in the world’s poorest countries.

The World Health Organization’s NTD roadmap 2021-2030 aims to address 20 tropical diseases through prevention, control, elimination, and/or eradication. But despite some progress, reaching all its targets will take better, far more accessible diagnostics and treatments along with more robust strategies, political commitment and resources.

To mark World NTD Day, this collection spotlights work by MSF and collaborators on improving approaches to snakebite envenoming, kala azar and noma. One study presents an innovative artificial intelligence-based snakebite diagnostic tool, while others evaluate shorter, less toxic drug regimens or different models of care. Several commentaries advocate for national/regional strategies adapted to contexts ranging from remote villages to active conflict zones. Another crucial factor is the climate crisis, which is intensifying the transmission and geographic spread of many NTDs.

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