Knowledge about antibiotic resistance in bacteria from humans, animals and the environment is key for understanding the scale of the problem and address it appropriately.
This section provides data, information and tools on how to measure antibiotic resistance patterns in bacteria from humans and animals. It also describes how to measure antibiotic resistance and residues in the environment.
It is useful to examine resistance in both humans and animals in parallel, to track resistance trends and detect for example emerging resistance or outbreaks.
The table below collects resources with a cross-sectorial, or ‘One Health’ perspective, emphasising standardised methods, cross-sector indicators, and integrated analysis.
While the Toolbox contains some references to scientific papers, there are many studies published in the scientific literature. The below databases can be useful to search for additional resources:
Selected Resources
| Resources | Description |
| ONE HEALTH Integrated multi-sectoral surveillance | Protocol/methodology. The One Health module of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) provides standard methodologies for measuring ESBL-producing E.coli in the human, animal, and environmental sectors, with the aim to facilitate establishment of an integrated multisectoral surveillance in LMICs. |
| ECDC/EFSA/EMA joint reports on the integrated analysis of the consumption of antimicrobial agents and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals (JIACRA reports) | Reports and methodology. Using existing data from Europe, ECDC/EFSA/EMA analyze the relationship between antimicrobial consumption and resistance to the same antimicrobials in bacteria from humans and animals. |
| ECDC, EFSA and EMA Joint Scientific Opinion on a list of outcome indicators as regards surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial consumption in humans and food-producing animals | Indicators: Suggestion of outcome indicators with a ‘One Health’ perspective for monitoring progress of surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial consumption in humans and food-producing animals, with methodology for how indicators were selected, and examples of calculation of indicators. Established by European health and food safety agencies. |
| Integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in foodborne bacteria: Application of a One Health approach | Guide for stakeholders to support the design of integrated surveillance programs using standardized and validated antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and harmonized interpretative criteria. |