Aims and Objectives

Given the amount of research and investment in the field of novel diagnostics and biomarkers, it is predicted that provision of medicine in the future will be transformed. The main aims of novel diagnostics and biomarkers are not only to recognise infection and/or sepsis, but also to assist in triaging patients with regards to avoiding admission, ward admission, intensive care admission and even prognosis and predicting outcome.

Another aspect of novel diagnostics and biomarkers is to improve antibiotic stewardship in clinical settings. Therefore, this working group aims to: 

• Organise educational meetings and provide educational material on the application of novel diagnostics and biomarkers in clinical practice e.g. antibiotic stewardship and/or triaging.
• Promote a “network” to collect data from those centres that use novel diagnostics and/or biomarkers and audits of good practice with regards to novel diagnostics and biomarkers.
• Develop practice guidelines or recommendations for a correct approach in applying these novel technologies and biomarkers in clinical practice.

We hope that the group’s work will result in a closer collaboration among international experts who can bridge the gap between studies, clinical applications and patients’ needs, thereby improving not only antibiotic stewardship and better quality of patient care, but also in reducing the cost to healthcare systems across the world.

Antimicrobial Resistance Workshop in Kasese

Antimicrobial Resistance Workshop in Kasese: as part of our Winchester Rotary Link with Rotary Kasese Snow Peaks and the Great Lakes Peace Center (GLPC)

During the last team’s visit to Uganda from Winchester Dr Kordo Saeed and Mr Bwambale Arafat from (GLPC) organised a one day awareness workshop on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This included the impact of inappropriate antibiotic dispensing at private and public health facilities in the rural areas of Kasese district Uganda. This was held at central division hall in Kasese on 3rd January, 2025.

The event started with a brief welcome from Bwambale Girivazio (district health government representative) with an over view on AMR and some local issues. Followed by welcome from Mr Afan Abdallah (GLPC lead) to the attendees.

The scientific programme stared by an overview on AMR and its causes from Mr Arafat (District Surveillance Officer and member of GLPC) highlighting key issues locally with regards to inappropriate antibiotic dosing, over use of antibiotics, self medication as well as the impact of AMR on social economic transformation in the area and broadly in low income places.

This followed by a talk from Dr Nusreen Ahmad a molecular microbiologist from UK (University hospital Southampton NHS Trust) who asserted that AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria undergo transformational change allowing them to acquire resistance to particular antibiotics. She continued to talk about target implications, research tools, and the negative impacts of AMR on patient outcome and health economy. She also presented on the importance of diagnostics including rapid diagnostics and PCR and how they can assist in curbing AMR.

Mr. Fredrick Masereka from Bwera Hospital/ Uganda began his presentations by defining AMR and the issues of patients taking expired antibiotics and the damage this cause to the health and the environment, namely generating more resistant bacteria. He also talked about superbugs that they are resistant so many antibiotics. It was also particularly refreshing that he shared some local data from Bwera Hospital and their initiatives to diagnose infections and detected AMR in order to have better understanding and treatment strategies.

The final speaker was Dr Kordo Saeed, a consultant microbiologist and associate professor from the University of Southampton and represented ISAC. He presented on the global estimates of impact of AMR on mortality, and data from Uganda which estimates 7000 direct deaths and ~30000 indirect deaths in Uganda attributed to AMR annually. He highlighted the importance of the WHO’ global action plan, some local initiatives, the importance of vaccination, infection prevention and education to tackle AMR. He also mentioned about the importance of collaboration between health care works, scientists. politicians and policy makers to curb AMR.

The event was attended by 110 health care workers (Drs, pharmacists, technicians, vets as well as government officials , the mayor of Kasese and local radio).

The event was dubbed as a catalyst for bigger health education collaborations and ideally future studies in the Kasese area. Key achievements were:
 Raising awareness among public health workers on the burden of AMR.
 Strengthening AMR knowledge among health workers.
 Improving reporting of antibiotic effects in facilities to the district. Including presenting local data sharing and guidance.

The success of the event is a credit to colleagues in Uganda, the UK and most importantly the participants and their interactions during the event.

The organisers would like to thank the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC) who funded the activity as well as local officials and staff from GLPC in Kasese for making the event happen.

Webinars

 Rapid diagnostics and strain typing in the era of antimicrobial resistance

The aim is to learn from current experiences across the globe on how rapid diagnosis impacts on curbing antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

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Rapid diagnostics & biomarkers at the heart of patient management

In this webinar, ISAC’s Rapid Diagnostics & Biomarkers Working Group provided a number of short presentations on how rapid and novel diagnostics and technologies and their application can impact clinical practice and the provision of microbiology, infectious disease, antimicrobial stewardship and infection control services.

Future / Ongoing Activities

Our ideas for the coming years are to organise coordinated (reviews or audits or quality improvement projects or even video lectures) related to biomarker incorporation to clinical practice for example in any of the following areas:

• How to make sure point of care tests are complementary to medical microbiology and part of their overall diagnostic package. This can be challenging to achieve; however, it can be done through coordination and also registration for surveillance among the working group.
• When to use biomarker testing versus targeted testing. (Writing reviews) 
• How does lateral flow assays impact on what we do clinically? (Writing reviews)
• For resistance markers, do we still need to know the bug? (Writing review)

Publications

How are rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases used in clinical practice: a global survey by the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC)
Poole, S, Townsend J, Wertheim et al on behalf of the ISAC Rapid Diagnostic and Biomarkers Working Group
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2020

Hot topics on procalcitonin use in clinical practice, can it help antibiotic stewardship?
Saeed K, del Castillo JG, Backous C et al.
Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2019;54:686-696.