Twelve types of bacteria were deemed “priorities” in urgent need of new antibiotics, according to a list released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday. 

The list highlights bacteria that global health experts believe pose the greatest threats to human health. The WHO called upon on governments and pharmaceutical companies to prioritize the development of new drugs against them.

Factors used to determine the bacteria posing the most risk included the levels of resistance seen already, the mortality rates of these bacteria today, their prevalence out in communities and the burden they place on health systems.

Topping the list were bacteria classed as “gram negative” bacteria, which have already shown resistance to multiple drugs.

These include Acinetobacter baumannii and pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are predominantly linked to hospital-acquired infections or infections in healthcare settings.

Enterobacteriaceae, which include bacteria such as E.coli and klebsiella, were listed third and also pose a greater threat in healthcare settings.

Source :Morocco World News