Research Progress on the Application of CRISPR/Cas System in Rapid Testing of Drug-Resistant Bacteria in Clinical Practice

The misuse of antimicrobial agents has made antimicrobial resistance one of the major threats to global public health. Efficient and rapid detection of drug-resistant bacteria and resistance genes is crucial for controlling infection spread and safeguarding human health. However, traditional detection methods (such as culture isolation, polymerase chain reaction, etc.) exhibit significant limitations in detection speed, cost-effectiveness, and convenience, increasingly failing to meet current clinical testing demands. In this context, the CRISPR/Cas system, as an emerging molecular diagnostic technology, offers innovative solutions for this field. This review details the developmental status of CRISPR/Cas systems and their research progress in rapid clinical detection of drug-resistant bacteria. It systematically explains the working principles and efficacy of various CRISPR/Cas-based detection platforms (e.g., SHERLOCK, DETECTR, HOLMES), highlighting the system's advantages in sensitivity, specificity, efficiency, real-time capability, portability, and low cost. Additionally, the article discusses challenges faced by CRISPR/Cas systems, including direct clinical sample detection, multiplex testing, cost reduction, clinical validation, and standardization. Finally, it outlines future development directions, emphasizing technological innovation and clinical translation to establish CRISPR/Cas systems as efficient tools for drug-resistant bacteria prevention and control.