Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network (ARLN)
The Antibiotic Resistance Lab Network was created in 2016 in response to the 2015 national plan of action to detect and combat the rising threat of antibiotic resistance. The AR Lab Network is made up of seven regional laboratories, five cities, the National Tuberculosis Molecular Surveillance Center, along with sentinel laboratories in all fifty states and Puerto Rico. The Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Laboratory Services has been named the Southeast Regional Laboratory, performing core testing for Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico.
The goal of ARLN is to:
DETECT. Enhance detection for resistance tracking, identifying pathogen-specific solutions and creating public health strategies.
PREVENT. Develop better infection control guidelines to prevent and combat future AR threats.
INNOVATE. Utilize the CDC AR Isolate Bank as a tool for improved diagnostics and novel therapeutic options.
RESPOND. Work with state and regional labs to identify local transmission patterns and support outbreak response.
The ARLN CRO (Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms) section supports state laboratory capacity to rapidly detect antibiotic resistance (AR) in certain organisms in healthcare facilities and the community. The TN ARLN CRO section activities include:
- Testing of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) and Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter (CRAB)- collectively referred to as Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms (CRO)
- Detecting existing and emerging types of antibiotic resistance more effectively and generating stronger data to protect people and combat future resistance threats
- CRE Colonization Screening
- Targeted surveillance
ARLN CRO Sample Submission Information
The Special Microbiology section will perform antifungal resistance testing on Candida species, including Candida auris and certain other emerging resistant Candida species.
Identification of Candida genus and species is preferred, but not required. Speciation can be performed on Candida isolates that are unable to be identified at the submitter level.
Hospitals, regional healthcare facilities and public health laboratories within the six-state, Southeast region may submit isolates for testing.
Antifungal resistance testing will not be performed on C. albicans.
Gonorrhea has developed resistance against many first-line drugs and is becoming increasingly difficult to treat. According to the CDC, It is estimated that there are over 800,000 new gonorrhea infections each year and approximately one-third of those infections are resistant to at least one antibiotic. The General Bacteriology GC ARLN section conducts CDC-directed antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The GC ARLN section currently accepts isolates from CDC identified GISP and SURRG sites.