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The Role of Vaccines in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance

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Sustainable Agriculture Reviews 49

Part of the book series: Sustainable Agriculture Reviews ((SARV,volume 49))

Abstract

The introduction of new classes of antibiotics, and the high use of antimicrobials in healthcare, agriculture, and the food industry, have all contributed to accelerate the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial species and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains worldwide. At present, the dramatic rise in AMR among important human bacterial pathogens is reaching a state of global crisis threatening a return to the pre-antibiotic era. AMR, already a significant burden on public health and economies, is anticipated to grow even more severe in the coming decades.

The utility of vaccines to fight AMR has been broadly recognized. Several licensed vaccines, targeting both bacterial (Haemophilus influenzae , Streptococcus pneumoniae , Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi) and viral (influenza virus, rotavirus) pathogens, have already proven their anti-AMR benefits by reducing unwarranted antibiotic consumption and antibiotic resistant bacterial strains and by promoting herd immunity, thereby protecting indirectly even segments in a population that have not been or cannot be vaccinated. It is further encouraging that a number of new investigational vaccines, with a potential to reduce the spread of multi drug resistant bacterial pathogens, are in various stages of clinical development. Nevertheless, vaccines as a tool to combat AMR remain underappreciated and unfortunately underutilized. Global mobilization of public health and industry resources is key to maximizing the use of licensed vaccines, and the development of new prophylactic vaccines could have a profound impact on reducing AMR.

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Abbreviations

AMR:

Antimicrobial resistance

BCG:

Bacillus Calmette Guérin

CARB-X:

Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator

CDC:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CRM197:

Cross-reactive material 197

EU:

European Union

GAVI:

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization

GBS:

Group B streptococcus

Hib:

Haemophilus influenzae type b

HIV:

Human immunodeficiency virus

IgA:

Immunoglobulin A

IgG:

Immunoglobulin G

NDM-1:

New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1

PCV:

Polysaccharide conjugate vaccine

RSV:

Respiratory syncytial virus

UK:

United Kingdom

U.S.:

United States

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the following Pfizer colleagues: Natasha Kushnir, PhD for scientific writing, Robert Donald, PhD and Kirstin Heinrich, MPH for critical review of the manuscript, and Dawn De Thomas for graphics preparation.

Disclosures

All authors were employees of Pfizer at time of writing. The chapter preparation was funded by Pfizer.

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Correspondence to Annaliesa S. Anderson .

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Jansen, K.U., Gruber, W.C., Simon, R., Wassil, J., Anderson, A.S. (2021). The Role of Vaccines in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance. In: Panwar, H., Sharma, C., Lichtfouse, E. (eds) Sustainable Agriculture Reviews 49. Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, vol 49. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58259-3_10

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