Federal Funding for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance in Nosocomial Pathogens: No ESKAPE

The discovery of potent and safe antimicrobial agents is arguably the single greatest health care advance in history. The availability of these agents rapidly reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with a host of formerly fatal diseases. In addition, the confidence that infections could be prevented or treated by antibiotics allowed major leaps forward in the treatment of noninfectious diseases, including serious heart disease, cancers, and organ failure requiring transplants. Medical care, as we now know it, could not exist without the availability of effective antibiotics. The widespread use of antibiotics has been associated with what we now know to be the predictable emergence of resistance. Early confidence that infections would eventually be conquered has given way to a greater appreciation of the genetic flexibility of common human pathogens. Moreover, we have come to appreciate the role played by microorganisms in our homeostasis. Microorganisms are an intrinsic part of us, and we would do well to learn to live with them. Where we cannot live with them is in the hospital, because patients with compromised defenses are particularly vulnerable to bacterial diseases. Although many bacteria remain susceptible to most of our antimicrobial agents, a coterie has emerged that escape the lethal action of antibiotics. In hospitals in both the developed and the developing world, this small group Enterococcus faeciumy Staphylococcus aureusy Klebsiella pneumoniaey Acinetobacter baumanni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species, hereafter referred to as "the ESKAPE bugs" is the same. The ESKAPE bugs are extraordinarily important, not only because they cause the lion's share of nosocomial infections but also because they represent paradigms of pathogenesis, transmission, and resistance. If we learn to control these microorganisms, our hospitals will be immeasurably safer, because the lessons learned could be applied to virtually any species that attempts to take their place. Unfortunately, the ESKAPE bugs are increasingly prevalent in our hospitals and increasingly resistant to many of our antimicrobial agents. In this issue of the Journal Peters et al. [ 1 ] detail the research agenda of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for antimicrobial resistance. As the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the standard-bearer for the federal government's commitment to health research. NIAID manages most, but certainly not all, of the work performed by the NIH in the areas of antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases. As such, the NIAID agenda defines the weight of federal government efforts in the area of infectious diseases. One need look no further than the pivotal role played by NIAID in the enormous success of the AIDS research effort over the past 2 decades to understand the profound impact this institute's agenda can have on the growth and success of individual research areas. Peters et al. indicate that NIAID funding of antimicrobial research has grown considerably over the past decade, now totaling more than $800 million annually. In considering this very large number, it is important to realize that it represents NIAID's total commitment to all areas defined as being related to antimicrobial therapy. This category includes research on antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antiviral therapies, whether related to the treatment of diseases or to their prevention through the use of vaccines. It is therefore difficult to get a firm grip on what level of support is devoted to antibacterial therapy and resistance, particularly in reference to the ESKAPE bugs. Regarding research specific to issues involving antimicrobial resistance, Peters Received 26 December 2007; accepted 3 January 2008; electronically published 7 March 2008. Potential conflicts of interest: none reported. Reprints or correspondence: Dr. Louis Rice, Medical Service 111(W), Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. 10701 East Blvd.. Cleveland, OH 44106 (louis.rice@va.gov).