Priority pathogens.
Pathogens that pose
the greatest threat to public health.
Drug-resistant infections are spreading across the globe rapidly, with some bacteria posing an especially grave threat. To guide global action, the World Health Organization has developed its Bacterial Priority Pathogens List, identifying 24 pathogens grouped by their disease burden, emerging resistance, transmissibility, treatability and treatment pipeline gap.
Categorized as critical, high or medium priority levels, the list helps organizations like GARDP to focus efforts on difficult-to-treat pathogens with the greatest public health burden. With the list as our compass, GARDP’s work is targeting the deadliest infections, with a focus on populations hardest hit: newborns, children, and women.
Our programmes address various critical-priority and high-priority pathogens.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
It is versatile and ubiquitous with the power to survive in different levels of oxygen. Among the most lethal Gram-negative bacteria, it is a serious risk to vulnerable and critically ill patients.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
The culprit behind gonorrhoea, this Gram-negative bacteria is already resistant to nearly every antibiotic, making it impossible to treat. It is particularly skilled at gathering antibiotic resistance genes from other bacteria.
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Accounting for a third of all Gram-negative infections, this bacteria has the ability to form biofilms and to surround itself in a thick, sticky coating invisible to the immune system as well as to antibiotics.
Acinetobacter baumannii
This is a versatile and opportunistic pathogen found in healthcare settings and conflict zones. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, or CRAB infections, are particularly problematic.