The WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogens List 2024: a prioritisation study to guide research, development, and public health strategies against antimicrobial resistance

The 2024 WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (BPPL) aims to improve the prioritization of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, a key public health tool for preventing and controlling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The list uses a multicriteria decision analysis framework, scoring 24 antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens based on eight criteria. The top-ranked bacterium, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, scored 84%, while the bottom-ranked bacterium, penicillin-resistant group B streptococci, scored 28%. Gram-negative bacteria and rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis were ranked in the highest quartile. Fluoroquinolone-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, Shigella spp, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae were ranked highest among bacteria responsible for community-acquired infections. The 2024 WHO BPPL is a crucial tool for prioritizing research and development investments and informing global public health policies to combat AMR. Focused efforts and sustained investments in novel antibacterials are needed to address AMR priority pathogens, including high-burden antibiotic-resistant bacteria.