NEWS – WHO Updates Bacterial Pathogens Priority List as Critical Priority Pathogens Continue to Present Major Global Threat

PRIORITY PATHOGENS LIST (BPPL)

• Categories: The list features 15 families of antibiotic-resistant bacteria grouped into three categories:
  • Critical Priority
  • High Priority
  • Medium Priority

KEY POINTS

Critical Priority Pathogens

• Present major global threats due to:
  • High burden.
  • Resistance to last resort antibiotics.
  • Ability to spread resistance to other bacteria.
• Includes:
  • Gram-negative bacteria resistant to last resort antibiotics.
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to Rifampicin.

HIGH PRIORITY PATHOGENS

• Particularly high burden in low- and middle-income countries.
• Significant challenges in healthcare settings.

Includes:

• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Staphylococcus aureus

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)

• Occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to medicines.
• Consequences:
  • Increased sickness.
  • Higher risk of disease spread.
  • Elevated illness and death rates.
• Causes:
  • Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials.

OTHER HIGH PRIORITY PATHOGENS

• Present unique public health challenges.
• Include persistent infections and resistance to multiple antibiotics.
• Examples:
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Enterococcus faecium

IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

• Need for: Targeted research and public health interventions.
• Importance of: Guiding investment and addressing the antibiotics pipeline and access crisis