Using AI, Genes and Game Theory on Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and certain parasites to resist drugs such as antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals from destroying it. AMR is a worldwide public health threat that is projected to rise. Globally, by 2050, over 10 million deaths per year will be due to antimicrobial resistance according to projections from a report by Wellcome Trust and the UK government. For antibiotic resistance alone, each year over two million people in the U.S. are affected, and 23,000 die, according to figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Researchers at Washington State University have combined game theory with artificial intelligence (AI) to create a tool that can identify genes that are antibiotic-resistant in bacteria, and published their study in Scientific Reports on October 9, 2019.