Detection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) using advanced spectroscopic techniques: A review

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global concern in infectious disease management, leading to increased morbidity and mortality rates, and having a greater impact in low- and middle-income countries. In vitro, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is essential in identifying effective treatment for individual patients and predicting treatment outcomes. However, conventional AST methods are time-consuming, semi-quantitative, and labor-intensive. Advanced spectroscopic techniques such as mass spectrometry (MS), infrared (IR), Raman spectroscopy (RS), fluorescence spectroscopy (FS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have shown promising results in the rapid and accurate detection of AMR and AST. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements achieved through advanced spectroscopy techniques for detecting AMR and conducting AST. MS, specifically MALDI-TOF, is the most widely used method among all the techniques. The potential of these techniques to improve patient outcomes and combat AMR makes them an attractive area for future research and development.