Antimicrobial Resistance Laboratory Network

• Perform initial tests on patient samples (called specimens, like blood or urine) that help healthcare providers make earlier, more precise diagnoses and tailor treatment for patients.
• Establish protocols that immediately notify the health department, healthcare provider and infection control staff when they identify unusual resistance.
• Work with the public health department to understand when, where, and how to submit specimens or isolates (pure samples of the germ) for additional antimicrobial resistance characterizations.

When a clinical lab suspects an organism of concern for antimicrobial resistance, they send the isolate to their public health lab. Submitting isolates provides opportunity for supplemental characterization, public health awareness of the AR threat (including public health support if local assistance is needed), and surveillance.

• Support healthcare and clinical labs by identifying the pathogen (germ) and perform more advanced testing (e.g., molecular or antimicrobial resistance testing).
• Provide clinical labs with timely lab results and recommendations.
• Report concerning resistance to state health department epidemiologists and CDC, to inform rapid response.
• Send specimens or isolates to their state health department, AR Lab Network regional lab and CDC to support response efforts or if they need additional testing.
• Coordinate with the affected facilities, regional lab, and CDC, to identify individuals who come into contact with resistant germs and inform infection control measures.

• Support public health labs by confirming results, providing supplemental testing and providing guidance.
• Detect existing and emerging types of antimicrobial resistance, track changes in resistance and identify outbreaks.
• Generate data to ensure that important AR threats are identified quickly to inform infection prevention and response actions, therefore protecting people and combating future resistance threats.

All seven regional labs perform core testing. Select regional labs provide additional testing to support nationwide needs, including receiving pathogens from other CDC funded activities like Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) and Strengthening the United States Response to Resistant Gonorrhea (SURRG) program. The National TB Center is equipped to perform whole genome sequencing for M. tuberculosis isolates identified in the U.S.

• Established the AR Lab Network and provides technical expertise and coordination to lead the network.
• Develop new lab tests, guidance, and tailored solutions so health departments can quickly and efficiently identify new AR threats.
• Support infection prevention experts, programs and training in every state.
• Collect, track and monitor AR threats detected by local, state and regional public health labs and identify data gaps and trends in resistance.
• Report critical findings across federal government agencies, state public health departments and sample submitters.
• As needed, confirm test results when unusual resistance threats are identified, recommend local prevention efforts and support outbreak responses.
• Add isolates to the Antimicrobial Resistance Isolate Bank for drug and diagnostic test development.