Brazil platform stores data on multi-resistant bacteria
Scientists from the University of São Paulo (USP) have developed a platform dubbed One Health Brazilian Resistance (OneBR), which combines genomic, epidemiological, and phenotypic data on multi-resistant bacteria. The goal is to help monitor and control the spread of these bacteria, especially those classified by the World Health Organization as “critical priority.”
Fernanda Esposito, doctoral student at the USP’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF-USP) and member of the OneBR project research group, said the tool can play a significant role in the development of new drugs. As it stands today, the database offers information about some 500 bacterial strains, with another 200 to be added by the end of this year.
“With the genomic data on the platform, you can discover the genes for the production of new compounds based on probiotics (live microorganisms whose ingestion brings health benefits), bacteriocins (toxins produced by bacteria to inhibit the growth of other bacterial strains), and phage therapy (a type of virus that infects only bacteria),” she pointed out.
Expansion
OneBR is Brazil’s first genomic and epidemiological data platform and should be expanded further into Latin America, Esposito noted. “Faced with the high circulation of people among Latin American countries, the effort to expand monitoring to a continental level becomes crucial,” she said.
To meet this goal, the scientists are already in contact with researchers from Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Uruguay, in order to determine the best working strategies.
