Surveillance for the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance among clinically relevant bacteria provides important data that can be used to modify recommendations regarding empiric therapy for many infectious diseases. In the laboratory, suweillance must involve careful review of the susceptibility results generated not only to validate the data as required for optimal patient care but to detect the presence of novel and emerging resistance patterns. The data from the laboratory must be accurate because it serves as the basis for surveillance of resistance at the local, state, national, and international levels. There are a number of surveillance systems conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state health departments, academic centers, and the pharmaceutical industry that gather data on resistant organisms in the United States and around the world.