Key Points:
- Researchers created a database that shows where in the world different types of resistant bacteria are found.
- The data from the 214,000 samples took the team months to analyze on a high-performance-computer.
- The team says the experiences from COVID-19 have enforced the value of global surveillance data.
Today’s minor infection could be tomorrow’s life-threatening illness if antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to increase and spread. To gain a better understanding of where we are now, researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) created a freely accessible platform that shows where in the world different types of resistant bacteria are found and in what quantities.
"Such large quantities of data are interesting because we can find new patterns and connections between disease-causing microorganisms and antibiotic resistance,” said PhD-student Hannah-Marie Martiny from the DTU National Food Institute, who is one of the driving forces behind the new database. “For example, we can see that certain types of antibiotic resistance have very different prevalence in different parts of the world. We can use this knowledge to tailor guidelines on how to combat resistance in different places in the world.”
Martiny and team analyzed 214,000 samples from animals, humans and soil, and organized them in a way that makes it possible for others to utilize. The goal is to create a catalog of resistant bacteria that spans countries, people and environments. According to the study published in PLoS Biology, the 214,000 samples took up almost 300 terabytes and it took researchers months to analyze it on a high-performance-computer.
"By carrying out the initial very resource-intensive analysis and then making the data available to everyone, we give researchers all over the world better opportunities to come up with new solutions that can help reduce the incidence of antibiotic resistance. This is in line with the principles about making data useful in Open Science and FAIR," said study co-author Frank Møller Aarestrup, professor at the DTU National Food Institute.
The research team said, in light of COVID-19, global surveillance data to monitor and tackle diseases is as important as ever.
Information courtesy of DTU.