CRITICAL MICROBES - Comprehensive Research on InfecTIons Complications Across the Lifespan MICROBiology Epidemiology in Sweden

Project description

1. Rationale and Objectives
Infectious diseases remain a key challenge for public health in Sweden, influenced by an aging population, emerging pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance. However, data on infections is typically scattered, limiting our ability to fully understand the short- and long-term clinical repercussions. CRITICAL MICROBES seeks to bridge these gaps by consolidating and harmonizing data from Clinical Microbiology Laboratories across all Swedish regions, ultimately creating a robust, nationwide research database that tracks infections and subsequent outcomes.

• National Scope: The initiative is designed to capture test results for a broad spectrum of pathogens—bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic—regardless of whether the test is positive or negative.
• Longitudinal Follow-Up: By linking these results to Swedish registries via PINs, the database provides a long-term perspective on how infections can affect hospitalization, chronic disease progression, rehabilitation, and overall public health.

2. Collaboration with Statens Serum Institut
A distinguishing feature of CRITICAL MICROBES is its mentorship from Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut, which established MiBa—one of the only nationwide microbiological databases in the world. Although MiBa is primarily used for surveillance in Denmark, the SSI team’s expertise and experiences are invaluable for developing analogous processes in Sweden. Their guidance helps streamline data architecture, ensure quality control, and shape policies for ethical and secure data handling.

3. Research Emphasis and Use Cases
While such a comprehensive database can have broad implications, CRITICAL MICROBES is focused on enabling high-impact research rather than real-time surveillance. Key areas of inquiry include:

• Post-Infectious Complications and Chronic Disease: Investigating how acute infections predispose individuals to longer-term health challenges (e.g., cardiovascular events, respiratory conditions, or autoimmune sequelae).
• Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns: Identifying how antibiotic usage correlates with evolving resistance trends and informing strategies to optimize antibiotic prescribing.
• Occupational and Regional Factors: Examining whether workforce participation, geographic residence (such as rural vs. urban), and certain occupations modulate infection risk and outcomes.
• Vulnerable Populations: Assessing how factors like advanced age, comorbidity, and socioeconomic status shape susceptibility and recovery, with special attention to the unique circumstances in Northern Sweden.

4. Data Access and Ethical Stewardship

• Secured Repository: Hosted at Umeå University, the database maintains the highest standards of data integrity and protection (GDPR-compliant encryption, rigorous user authentication, and restricted access based on approved ethical permits).
• Structured Research Support: Researchers will be able to apply to access harmonized data “packages,” which include standardized variables for socioeconomic and healthcare metrics, as well as “raw” data for specialized study aims. This part is in progress, and will be finalized pending data complication.
• Sustainability: CRITICAL MICROBES aims for long-term viability through strategic funding, user fees, and ongoing partnerships with academic, clinical, and public health stakeholders.

5. Expected Outcomes and Benefits
CRITICAL MICROBES will provide a vital infrastructure for understanding how infectious diseases shape population health and healthcare needs across Sweden. By connecting laboratory results to health outcomes, the project will reveal how infections influence healthcare utilization, productivity loss, and broader socioeconomic factors. The inclusion of Northern Sweden’s distinctive landscape and endemic pathogens ensures that research reflects the diversity of populations and healthcare contexts.

Ultimately, CRITICAL MICROBES is planned to lay the groundwork for scientific discovery, inform clinical guidelines, and shape future research directions, bolstered by the invaluable mentorship of Statens Serum Institut.

By consolidating national infection data in a single, carefully governed resource, the project stands to amplify the potential of infectious disease research and bolster Sweden’s capacity for evidence-based public health strategies.