Research project CRITICAL MICROBES is a nationwide research project merging test results with real-world outcomes to reveal how infections shape Swedish public health. Mentored by Denmark’s Statens Serum Institute, it unifies socioeconomic, clinical, and demographic data to drive fresh insights and evidence-based infection research.
CRITICAL MICROBES unifies Sweden’s Clinical Microbiology test data (both positive and negative) with demographic, clinical, comorbidity, and socioeconomic variables across all 21 regions. By leveraging the PIN system, it tracks infection outcomes like hospitalizations and work capacity. Mentored by Denmark’s Statens Serum Institut (MiBa), this research-driven database reveals long-term infection impacts and informs interventions, with special attention to Northern Sweden.
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.
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:
4. Data Access and Ethical Stewardship
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.