Table 1.
The WHO and CDC listing of priority pathogens and the level of threat.
| WHO [134] | CDC [135] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organisms | Pathogens | Level of Priority | Pathogens | Level of Threat |
| Acinetobacter baumannii | Acinetobacter baumannii, carbapenem-resistant | Critical | Urgent * | |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Pseudomonas aeruginosa, carbapenem-resistant | Critical | Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1 | Serious ** |
| Enterobacteriaceae | Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant, ESBL-producing | Critical | Enterobacteriacea, Carbapenem-resistant 2 3 | Urgent |
| Enterobacteriaceae, ESBL-producing | Critical | Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae 4 | Serious | |
| Enterococcus faecium | Enterococcus faecium, vancomycin-resistant | High | Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) | Serious |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant | High | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 5 | Serious |
| Staphylococcus aureus | Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-intermediate and resistant | High | ||
| Helicobacter pylori | Helicobacter pylori, clarithromycin-resistant | High | ||
| Campylobacter spp. | Campylobacter spp., fluoroquinolone-resistant | High | Drug-resistant Campylobacter | Serious |
| Salmonellae | Salmonellae, fluoroquinolone-resistant | High | Drug-resistant nontyphoidal Salmonella Drug-resistant Salmonella serotype Typhi | Serious |
| Neisseria gonorrhoeae | Neisseria gonorrhoeae, cephalosporin-resistant, fluoroquinolone-resistant | High | Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae | Urgent |
| Streptococcus pneumoniae | Streptococcus pneumoniae, penicillin-non-susceptible | Medium | Drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae | Serious |
| Erythromycin-Resistant Group A Streptococcus Clindamycin-resistant Group B Streptococcus | Concerning *** | |||
| Haemophilus influenzae | Haemophilus influenzae, ampicillin-resistant | Medium | ||
| Shigella spp. | Shigella spp., fluoroquinolone-resistant | Medium | Drug-resistant Shigella | Serious |
| Clostridioides difficile | Urgent | |||
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | Not listed in the 2017 high priority pathogens because it is previously established as high priority | Drug-resistant tuberculosis | Serious | |
| Bordetella pertusis | Drug-resistant Bordetella pertusis | Watch | ||
* These germs are public health threats that require urgent and aggressive action; ** These germs are public health threats that require prompt and sustained action; *** These germs are public health threats that require careful monitoring and prevention action. 1—Extended-spectrum cephalosporins (cefepim, ceftazidime); Fluoroquinolones (ciprofloaxacin, levofloxacin); Aminoglycosides (amikacin, gentamicin, tobramycin); Carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem, doripenem); Piperacillin Group (piperacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam). 2—E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp. 3—Imipenem, meropenem, doripenem, ertapenem, ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefazolin, cefoxitin, cefotetan. 4—Cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefepime, ampicillin, piperacillin, aztreonam, cefazolin. 5—Methicillin, oxacillin, cefoxitin.