Antimicrobial resistance
Umani Medical contributes to an investigation performed by an international consortium on early activation of neutrophils to combat and prevent chronic and recurrent infection, and the development of consequent antimicrobic resistance.
Background
Difficult to treat, chronic and recurrent infections are major sources of high antimicrobial use and resistance development. Medical facilities in tropical regions and peripheral veterinary clinics face conditions with high infection pressure. These associate with increased generation and spreading of antibiotic resistance among animals and humans alike. Catheters and surgery are prime examples of the risk for and sources of such infections like urinary tract infections and wound infections.
Activating the innate immune system, in particular neutrophils, leads to fewer and smaller infections and decreases the need for (advanced) antimicrobics. An enhanced efficacy of early innate immune defence reduces the risk of spreading antimicrobial resistance.
The project studies the potential of early immune activation for reducing antimicrobic resistance development. It tests this potential by means of a promising new intervention which has a proven capability of activating neutrophils: electromagnetic field stimulation.
Model and clinical studies of wound infections and urinary tract infection will take place in Kenya and Poland. Biological and technical studies in Lithuania and the Netherlands.
Deliverables
Ultimately, the project will provide: electromagnetic technology acting on neutrophil activation for direct practical application; proven beneficial impact on urinary tract infections and wound infections; use in conditions with high infectious pressure thus diminishing the need for antimicrobials; and thereby mitigating the risk for development of antimicrobial resistance.
Consortium
The partnership is formed by:
Wageningen Universiteit, Cell Biology and Immunology, the Netherlands;
Institute of High Magnetic Fields Vilnius Tech, Faculty of Electronics, Vilnius, Lithuania;
Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Virus Research, Nairobi, Kenya;
Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Poland.
Our contribution
Umani Medical delivers the Activator that will be used for the investigation.
The consortium's pre-proposal is currently under review by the organisation Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance.