AGROSAVIA at the scientific forefront in the fight against antibiotic resistance

Mosquera, Cundinamarca. January 31, 2025. Antimicrobial resistance has become one of the greatest threats to global public health. Every year, millions of people and animals are affected by infections that no longer respond to conventional treatments. In this context, the research group of Agenda Nacional Colombiana de Investigación de Resistencia Antimicrobiana (ANCIRAM) [Colombian National Antimicrobial Resistance Research Agenda], representatives of the Global Health Research Unit (GHRU) in Colombia and composed of a research team from AGROSAVIA, is leading the battle against this phenomenon in the country through an innovative approach that integrates human, animal and environmental aspects.

Thanks to using cutting-edge genomic technology, the GHRU analyzes how antibiotic-resistant pathogens spread and evolve in different environments. Its research has allowed the detection of key interactions that favor the dissemination of bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella, and Pseudomonas, with the aim of designing strategies to stop their expansion.

In the last year, the team has had an active participation in high-impact international events, such as the annual meeting of Antimicrobial Resistance Research Units in Nigeria, the Pasteur Institute symposium in France on Klebsiella pneumoniae and the Latin American Congress on the use of bacteriophages in Cartagena. In addition, the team has collaborated with the National Institute of Health in epidemiological studies on pneumococci and Klebsiella in various populations.

In 2025, ANCIRAM has ambitious plans: it will continue participating in the annual meeting of genomic research units and will contribute to the update of the National Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance.

The challenge is enormous, but the work of ANCIRAM and GHRU represents hope in the fight to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics and avoid a global health crisis.

Click here for more information on ANCIRAM's progress.