WHO report highlights most dangerous antibiotic-resistant superbugs

A new list of the 12 families of bacteria that pose the greatest threat to human health has been published by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Compiled in partnership with the University of Tubingen, the list of antibiotic-resistant priority pathogens has been put together to draw attention to the types of bacteria in greatest need of new antibiotic therapies to combat them.

The most critical group includes multidrug-resistant bacteria such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and various Enterobacteriaceae, including Klebsiella, E. coli, Serratia and Proteus. These can cause deadly infections such as bloodstream infections and pneumonia.

Second and third-tier threats encompass high and medium-priority targets including the increasingly drug-resistant bacteria that cause more common diseases such as gonorrhoea, and salmonella-related food poisoning.

Tuberculosis was not included because it is targeted by other dedicated programmes, while the likes of streptococcus A and B and chlamydia were excluded because they have low levels of resistance to existing treatments.

Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO's assistant director-general for health systems and innovation, said: "Antibiotic resistance is growing, and we are fast running out of treatment options. If we leave it to market forces alone, the new antibiotics we most urgently need are not going to be developed in time."

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