Clinical Challenges of SARS-CoV-2 and Antimicrobial Resistance

How to Choose the Right Diagnostic Tools

COVID-19 has reshaped many aspects of healthcare. Not to be overlooked is the impact of the pandemic on another major public health threat — resistant bacterial pathogens.

With the documented use of unnecessary antibiotics early in the spread of the virus, the abandonment of routine stewardship initiatives in the face of overwhelmed healthcare systems, and the deprioritization of resistance surveillance, the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance remains significant and may have accelerated.

Multi-drug resistance is challenging for institutions to manage, particularly if pathogens are transmitted among vulnerable patient populations. There may be few therapeutic options available, and they may be further limited by the compromised state of patients. Access to accurate diagnostic tools that can guide the most appropriate clinical decisions regarding these life-threatening infections is critical.

Access to accurate antimicrobial susceptibility platforms in microbiology laboratories — that include drugs of last resort as well as novel drugs — can lead to more effective and optimal treatment decisions regarding resistant bacteria, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

This webinar will help you:

• Discuss the front-line challenges of COVID-19 from a clinical and laboratory perspective
• Describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial stewardship principles
• Understand the potential longer-term consequences of a viral pandemic on emerging bacterial resistance

For research use only. Not for diagnostic procedures.

This webinar is produced by Whitehat Communications, a provider of continuing education programs in clinical laboratory sciences that has been approved by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.™ Program. One P.A.C.E. credit hour will be provided for this complimentary, basic-level program.