Antimicrobial Resistance Isolate Bank (AR Isolate Bank)

What is the AR Isolate Bank?
The AR Isolate Bank provides free access to high-quality and well-characterized isolates and their associated testing data of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and fungi to help microbiologists, drug and diagnostic manufacturers, and researchers combat antimicrobial resistance (AR). AR Isolate Bank panels help microbiologists and laboratory directors to validate new laboratory tests, which can improve patient care. Drug and diagnostic manufacturers use AR Isolate Bank panels to test and develop new products, like diagnostic assays and new antibiotics, and accelerate research and development. Isolate panels are also used by researchers to build solutions against the latest resistant threats.

AR Isolate Bank isolates can be used to increase the body of scientific knowledge, improve patient care and support early detection and solutions to resistance organisms that threaten public health.

How are isolates stored?
A restricted-access facility in Atlanta, GA stores the isolates at -70 degrees Celsius. CDC executes shipping and handling with the upmost safety and professionalism. Please keep isolates frozen at ultralow temperatures (-70 to -80°C) upon receipt.

Can anyone have access to isolates from the AR Isolate Bank?

No. The AR Isolate Bank only provides isolates to recognized institutions with confirmed biosafety officers. The AR Isolate Bank custodians review each request.

How can my institution have access to the isolates?

• Customers must register to create an account and order on the AR Isolate Bank website.
• When a customer places an order, a prompt will tell them to submit required documentation needed to process the order.
• AR Isolate Bank custodians review requests for isolates.
• CDC requires approved requesters to provide a FedEx number for shipping.
• If using a different courier, list courier name in the Shipping Account field and someone from the AR Isolate Bank will contact you with additional instructions.
• Learn more about how to request isolates by visiting the Navigating the AR Isolate Bank website page.

What data is available about the isolates?
AR Isolate Bank isolates include information on:

• Storage and propagation procedures.
• Biosafety information.
• Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results and interpretation.
• Known resistance mechanisms.

A biosample accession link to whole genome sequence information for isolates that have been sequenced is provided.

How are isolates identified?
A Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identifies isolates. Whole Genome Sequencing or 16s rRNA sequencing also supports isolate identification, when available.

How is antimicrobial susceptibility testing conducted?
Antimicrobial susceptibility testing uses reference broth microdilution using in-house frozen panels or agar dilution. Refer to the panel page for additional information about the panel.

Why are metadata (e.g., the site of infection and geographical origin of the isolate) not included for all isolates?
Including this information for isolates would require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and increase regulatory oversight of the AR Isolate Bank. This type of oversight would slow our ability to add new isolates and provide little benefit to the customer. The isolates included in each panel represent new types of resistance and diversity of resistance. Whenever possible, isolates also represent geographical and temporal diversity. When evaluating/validating a medical device or methodology, you can use these isolates as challenge organisms. If you think you need metadata for your testing purpose, email the AR Isolate Bank at ARbank@cdc.gov and describe why you need this information. The AR Isolate Bank team will try to assist you.

Are all isolates sequenced?
It is our intention to sequence all isolates; there is often a lag between adding isolates to inventory and sequencing completion. We add isolate sequencing data as soon as it becomes available.

Are there any special considerations for resistant isolates?
Plasmid-mediated resistance in some isolates can be relatively unstable. Because of this, we recommend minimizing passage from frozen stock before testing the isolates as you may lose plasmids after more than 2 passages. No thawing of the isolates is advised.

Can I order single isolates?
At this time, the only panel we offer that allows ordering single isolates is the Isolates with New or Novel Antibiotic Resistance panel. For all other orders on the website, you can only select entire panels. If you have a request for a single isolate or special-order request, contact us at ARbank@cdc.gov.

How many isolate panels can I order?
There is a limit of 5 panels per order. If additional isolate panels are needed, before placing a second order please email ARbank@cdc.gov detailing the need for additional panels. Please Note: The AR Isolate Bank does not routinely fulfill duplicate orders (i.e., more than one panel and/or isolate of the same) by institution. AR Isolate Bank frozen stocks are stable for more than ten years if kept at ultra-low temperatures. We recommend retaining isolates for further studies whenever possible. If you require a duplicate order of isolates, please include an explanation in the comments section.

How much do isolates cost?
There is no cost for isolate panels. The requestor, however, pays for shipping. We request a FedEx number for shipping when placing an order.
If you cannot provide a FedEx account number, please write this in the order comments. You will be sent instructions to create a pre-paid UPS or FedEx label.

What is the distribution policy?
The AR Isolate Bank custodians review all isolate requests prior to approval and release. CDC strictly enforces a ‘no distribution’ policy that prohibits the secondary distribution of AR Isolate Bank’s isolates to third-party researchers. If your project intends to share isolates with other institutions, contact us at ARbank@cdc.gov so we can assess the request. Requests that involve third party distributions have a longer processing time. Please plan accordingly and contact us ahead of time before starting your project.

How do I find more detail on isolates or panels?
Click on the hyperlinked panel name in the Panel column of the All Isolate Panels table to open the Panel Detail page.



The Panel Detail page lists all the isolates in the panel, their resistance mechanism(s) and a link to the sequence accession information. Additionally, you can download the antibiogram for panels by clicking on the “Download MIC & gene data” Excel icon.



Clicking on the AR Bank # for an isolate opens the Isolate Detail page. The Isolate Detail page lists:

• Isolate details including MIC and interpretation values.
• Relevant footnotes providing additional information for breakpoint determination.
• Resistance mechanisms.
• Propagation instructions.
• A link to sequence accession information (Biosample Accession #).

Are there additional federal resources for isolates?
The Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) Isolate Bank. is an extensive collection of isolates for ABCs pathogens: group A Streptococcus, group B Streptococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae. ABCs is a core program within CDC’s Emerging Infections Program (EIP) network. EIP is a collaboration between CDC, state health departments, and academic institutions. ABCs is an active laboratory- and population-based surveillance system for invasive bacterial pathogens of public health importance. Within the U.S. Military Health System, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) maintains a collection of well-characterized resistant isolates collected from participating military hospitals through its Multidrug-resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network (health.mil)       .

The Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) maintains a Virtual Biorepository       that provides investigators with access to clinically well-characterized Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria for the development of diagnostic tests and novel antimicrobial compounds. The Virtual Biorepository also allows investigators to develop studies evaluating mechanisms of resistance. Find more information on the ARLG’s website under Virtual Biorepository      .
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Ordering on the AR Isolate Bank website

How do I order?
To order a panel, customers must register for an account and submit their order using the AR Isolate Bank website. The requestor must complete all forms for each order. AR Isolate Bank custodians review these forms for order approval. These forms are available on the Required Forms menu in the left navigation bar. Customers must register and have an active order to view/download the required forms.

How do I register for an account?
To register for an account, customers must provide their name, company/institution’s address, phone number and email address and password. Be sure to use your company/institution email address and phone number to register. Do not use personal accounts or cell phones. Spell out all acronyms and do not list P.O. Boxes for your institution’s name and address. The customer has the option to place an order at the time of registration even if their account is pending.

What factors would lead to the rejection of an account?

• If customers provide a cell phone or personal email address an account will be rejected. You must provide a landline number and professional email.
• The address, including postal code, provided must match the organization’s website. A field is provided if the shipping location is different from the organization’s address listed on the account. Using a residential address will cause the rejection of an account.

How many panels/isolates can I order?
Customers may order up to five (5) panels per order. We require additional information from you to process orders of more than five (5) panels if additional panels are crucial for your project. Contact ARbank@cdc.gov to inquire about those requirements.

Do you accept international orders?
The AR Isolate Bank does not routinely accept or approve orders from laboratories outside of the United States. On a case-by-case basis, we will consider requests to ship isolates to public health authorities (e.g., ministries of health) in other countries. We will also consider allowing those authorities to share the isolates with laboratories they have identified as suitable recipients. Under these conditions, CDC implements a material transfer agreement that is specific to the request. Contact ARbank@cdc.gov for the exact request and provide a contact at the recipient’s ministry of health office.

How do I find my order’s status and tracking number?
Once logged into your account, you can click on the “My Orders” menu in the left navigation bar. This page displays a list of placed orders and their statuses. Clicking the “Details” link will display a read-only view of an order, including summary and the history of each status change for the order.

How soon should I expect to receive communication after submitting an order?
After you submit your order request you will receive a confirmation email. Once we have received the duly signed and completed forms, we will process the order and ship the isolates. Please note that our shipping days are Monday-Wednesday (excluding federal holidays ). Shipping times will vary based on current stock. After order approval, your order will ship within 10 business days.

I ordered the wrong panel/forgot to add a panel to my order. Can I edit my order?
You cannot edit or cancel orders on the website. For changes to your request, contact ARbank@cdc.gov. Include your order number, reason to edit order and changes needed.

I am a recurrent user of the AR Isolate Bank. Do I need to submit the forms for each new order?
Yes. Even if your information has not changed, you must submit all forms for each new order. The approval process for subsequent orders may be quicker.
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Searching for isolate panels

How do I search for an isolate?
The Isolate Search page provides many different search criteria. The Isolate Search identifies records that match all specified criteria. If you do not get a result, try searching again using fewer criteria. To see the largest set of results, it is best to limit the number of criteria specified.

How do I search for a panel?

• On the Home page, select the ‘Choose an Isolate Panel’ or ‘Choose a Custom Isolate Panel’ dropdown menu. Select the panel of interest, then click ‘Go’ to view panel information and the list of isolates that belong to the panel.
• The Browse Panels link on the home page.
• The All Isolate Panels link on the left navigation bar at the top of this page will display a table with all the panels in the AR Isolate Bank.

What is the difference between panel and custom panel?

• A panel refers to a set composed of unique isolates.
• A custom panel is a set of AR Isolate Bank isolates that belong to other panels. These sets are assembled with desired attributes for a specific use. For example, the Fluoroquinolone Pseudomonas aeruginosa Verification Panel is a custom panel to perform verification and validation studies for P. aeruginosa and any of the fluoroquinolones approved to treat infections caused by these bacteria.

How do I refine my search results?
The ‘Search Results’ table allows you to sort on each column. In addition, the ‘Search’ text box at the top right of the table will filter the results to only those records matching the text entered in the text box. Clicking the ‘X’ in the text box will remove the filter.

Which fields of the isolate records are included in the Keyword search?
The keyword search includes isolate additional comments, panel description, panel additional comments and organism.

Why can’t I enter an MIC or Interpretation value in the search criteria?
Until you select a drug value, the MIC and interpretation search criteria fields are disabled.
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Order processing and shipping

What is the estimated shipping cost?
For 1 to 2 panels, the shipment weight is approximately 15-20 lbs. due to dry ice in the shipping container. Consult FedEx or another appropriate shipping company for the shipping cost of this weight from CDC’s zip code of 30329 to the final destination’s zip code.

My institution does not have a FedEx account. What other options do we have?
You can use UPS and FedEx pre-paid labels. Once you place an order, we will provide further instructions.

How are isolates packed and shipped?
A cryo/freezer box (5x5x2”) with 81 cell dividers contains each isolate in a 1 or 2 ml cryovial. We ship isolates using priority overnight service with dry ice.

Do all the isolates in my order come in one package?
It depends on how many and what panels are in the order. One big box can contain about 10–12 panels. The Enteric Pathogen Diversity panel is always packed separately.

Are isolates shipped with any culturing instructions?
Yes, we send propagation instructions with each shipment. This information is also available for each isolate on the Propagation tab on the Isolate Detail page. Alternatively, you can download this information for each panel by clicking “Download all isolate Details” as shown below.

How soon should I expect to receive my order?
Your order will ship within 10 business days of approval. After you submit all required paperwork, we will review and approve orders. Our shipping days are Monday-Wednesday (excluding federal holidays). We will do our best to communicate about any delays in processing the order.

How do I avoid delays in my order?
Please make sure:

• There are no blanks on the forms and all pages are submitted.
• Personal cellphone number or email address is not used on any of the forms.
• An extension number is listed, if the contact phone number requires one.
• The requestor and biosafety official are not the same person.
• The FedEx account numbers include all nine digits.

I received the isolates. How should I store them?
Please keep isolates frozen at ultralow temperatures (-70 to -80 °C). Lower temperatures are acceptable.
Do not subject the isolates to freeze-thaw cycles. Use freezer blocks or dry ice when retrieving isolates from freezers, if possible.

What do the different order statuses mean?

CDC provides an email notification at four different steps: when the order is submitted, when its required documents are verified, and when the order is shipped and delivered. You are able to check the status of your order at any time by logging into your account. The image below shows an example of the different statuses the order will undergo:

Awaiting Required Documents	Order submitted, but CDC has not received the required forms to process the order.
Documents Verified	CDC has verified the required documents are complete and signed.
Order Verified	Information on the forms match the order request.
Approved for Shipping	Order sent to laboratory to be fulfilled.
Shipped	Order shipped, tracking number is added to order information under your account.
Delivered	Courier marked this order as delivered.

Order processing and shipping – material transfer agreements/special requests
Processing and shipping times: Please allow up to six (6) months to fulfill material transfer agreements and special requests, including but not limited to for-profit requests and sharing of AR Isolate Bank materials.

Have you published your work using AR Isolate Bank isolates?
Share the publication link or Digital Object Identifier (DOI) with us by email at ARbank@cdc.gov. We list peer reviewed publications that include bank isolates on the AR Isolate Bank Citations page.

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