ResFinder

ResFinder is a publicly available bioinformatic tool used to identify acquired antimicrobial resistance genes in bacterial genomes. It primarily works by comparing a given sequence (typically a bacterial genome assembled from sequencing data) against a curated database of known resistance genes. ResFinder utilizes sequence similarity searches to detect the presence of these genes, providing information about their identity, location, and similarity scores.

The tool is typically accessed through a web interface or command-line application. Users upload their sequence data, and ResFinder reports any matching resistance genes found in the uploaded data, along with details such as the specific gene name, the percentage of identity and coverage of the match, and the antimicrobial classes the gene confers resistance to.

ResFinder is widely used in research, public health surveillance, and clinical settings to track the spread of antimicrobial resistance, understand resistance mechanisms in bacteria, and guide treatment decisions. The ResFinder database is regularly updated to include newly identified resistance genes, ensuring its continued relevance in the face of evolving antimicrobial resistance patterns. The tool's accuracy and reliability are dependent on the quality of the input sequence data and the comprehensiveness of the ResFinder database.