Oct 28
Chemistry Department Seminar: Maroya Spalding Walters '03, Antimicrobial Resistance Team, CDC
Fri, October 28, 2022
• 3:30pm
- 4:30pm (1h) • Anderson 329
Detecting and Responding to Emerging Antibiotic Resistance in Healthcare Settings
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria counter the effects of drugs designed to stop their growth or kill them. Some of the most concerning forms of antibiotic resistance emerge in healthcare settings. Since their identification in 2001, strains of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli (CP-GNB) have spread in healthcare settings globally. Carbapenemases are enzymes that inactivate carbapenems and other β-lactam antibiotics and are encoded on mobile genetic elements that can be shared between bacterial strains, accelerating spread. Due to limited treatment options and potential for rapid dissemination, CP-GNB are designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as highly concerning antibiotic resistance threats. In 2017, CDC launched initiatives to improve detection of CP-GNB nationally and implement systematic responses to limit transmission when these organisms are identified. This seminar will describe these U.S. public health initiatives and explore the molecular epidemiology of outbreaks of CP-GNB that were identified through these activities, in order to 1.) Highlight important factors that contribute to transmission in the United States; and 2.) Identify areas of future investigation that may more effectively prevent spread.
*This seminar counts towards the chemistry major seminar attendance requirement.
Event Contact: Tami Little