The link between non-fermenters and AMR

Key players of NFGNB are Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Burkholderia cepacian. The prior two are categorised with a threat level of “serious” by the CDC. The latter have a lower level of infection, however still pose a severe threat to vulnerable hospitalised and immunosuppressed patients.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa rarely affects healthy individuals but is a leading cause of mortality in cystic fibrosis sufferers and immunosuppressed patients. Strains of the pathogen are infamous in the medical field for using their high levels of resistance against most antibiotics.

In 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) listed carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa as one of three bacterial species in which the need to develop new antibiotics for infections is crucial.

The high level of resistance in NFGNB is problematic in a number of ways. Most notably, it leads to:

• Increased mortality

• Extended hospital treatment

• Higher healthcare costs for patients

Further research on the antimicrobial susceptibility of NFGNB is therefore crucial. In the meantime, improved methods for susceptibility testing are needed, as well as better antibiotic stewardship and infection prevention and control measures.