Check Up: Confronting Antimicrobial Resistance

Vol. XXII, No. 1, 2024

Dr. Souha Kanj Sharara

Dr. Souha Kanj Sharara, head of AUB’s Division of Infectious Diseases, champions the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Her innovative work and dedication to public health addresses the crisis at multiple levels. Dr. Sharara shares her insights on the implications of this pressing threat and AUB’s strategic efforts to combat it.

Can you discuss what antimicrobrial resistance is and its implications?

Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, to resist the effects of medications that were once effective for treating infections caused by them. This resistance occurs when these microorganisms evolve in response to the use of these medicines, making standard treatments ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

Some key effects of the antimicrobial resistance pandemic on public health include higher death rates due to difficulty in treating infections and increased healthcare costs due to the need for more complex treatments, often requiring higher levels of medical care and longer recovery periods. Our research in this field has focused on studying common hospital-acquired infections, the risk factors for resistance, ways to prevent them, and their optimal treatment.

How do the challenges of combating antibiotic resistance in the Arab world compare with those globally?

The region struggles to implement proper antibiotic use due to limited resources, including the inaccessability of some antibiotics. Unregulated, over-the-counter access fosters inappropriate use of antibiotics in humans, animals, and the environment. Moreover, underdeveloped surveillance systems hinder the assessment of resistance patterns and targeted interventions. Cross-border coordination is challenged by diverse healthcare systems and regional conflicts. Additionally, disparities in quality healthcare access exacerbate resistance issues, particularly in rural areas coupled with insufficient public awareness campaigns that hinder efforts to promote responsible antibiotic use.

What is AUB doing to tackle antimicrobial resistance?

AUB has undertaken many initiatives to address antimicrobial resistance, including studying the epidemiology of resistant organisms, investigating outbreaks, understanding the molecular typing of resistant bacteria, testing for the presence of such microorganisms in poultry and the environment, developing prevention strategies, and innovating approaches to treat multidrug-resistant bacteria. Just as importantly, we participated in landmark clinical trials that have changed the practice of dealing with common infectious diseases.