Jul 05, 2019
Quantitative analytical framework to assess strategies against antibiotic resistant pathogens published
For convenience, assume that 3 antibiotic agents, A, B, and C, are given. If in a hospital for one quarter substance A is applied against infections, followed by an administration of agent B for a quarter, then agent C, then reiterate, we have a cyclic administration strategy. It is thus thought that an adaptation of pathogens is avoided in order to reduce the emergence of resistant germs. Of course, realistic counter-strategies are more complex. Scientist from the IMB and clinical researchers from the Division of Infectious Diseases recently proposed a mathematical framework for the assessment of these strategies. The method allows for the quantification of heterogeneity and diversity measures with respect to both the antibiotic consumption as well as the prevalences of resistant germs. Patterns of antibiotic consumption and of prevalence of resistant germs are correlated at the Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital Dresden. The verification of a causal relation demands a properly designed interventional study. The quantitative basis for its analysis has now been set, which, to mention in passing, can also be applied for the assessment of the resilience of an agricultural system against detrimental factors dependent on agrobiodiversity.
The submitted work is currently reviewed, however, a preprint is already available: https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/201906.0019/v1