CRITICAL MICROBES - Comprehensive Research on InfecTions Across The human Lifespan; Microbiology Epidemiology in Sweden

The CRITICAL MICROBES project addresses significant societal challenges posed by infectious diseases by creating a comprehensive, nationwide database integrating patient sample pathogen test results with infectious disease outcomes across Sweden.

This initiative will enhance understanding of infectious diseases, improving public health responses and policies.Infectious diseases threaten the health, working ability, and welfare of the Swedish population, with an aging demographic exacerbating these issues and stressing the healthcare system.

The emergence of new pathogens and multi-drug resistant organisms further compounds these challenges, impacting both acute and long-term human health and working capacity.Currently, data on infectious diseases are fragmented across Sweden´s 21 regions, presenting a significant obstacle to gaining a comprehensive overview of their impact on Swedish health, working ability, and welfare.

This fragmentation also hinders research on various aspects of infectious diseases.Our project will consolidate these data into a centralized database, providing detailed information on infections, individual characteristics, and disease outcomes.

By leveraging the existing whole-population database from the Fors Connolly group, we will create an extensive resource covering all infections, linked with socio-economic, demographic, and healthcare data.

Harmonized variables for comorbidities, socio-economic factors, and geographical residence will ensure comparability across studies.

We will develop tools to enable researchers to access harmonized data, facilitating high-quality research on infectious diseases, complications, and treatment outcomes.The project will enhance surveillance and response to outbreaks and inform evidence-based policy decisions, leading to improved public health outcomes, economic efficiency, and support for research and innovation.

The database will benefit healthcare providers, public health officials, researchers, policymakers, and the general public.By addressing societal challenges and engaging relevant stakeholders, the CRITICAL MICROBES project aims to enhance public health in Sweden, leading to increased health, working ability, and welfare.

This comprehensive research database will advance the understanding and management of infectious diseases, ultimately improving public health and societal well-being in Sweden.