OH-AMR-Diag: Novel technological solutions for rapid detection and screening of AMR from a One-Health perspective

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical issue worldwide, threatening human and animal health. Incorrect use of antibiotics causes 1.3 - 5 million deaths annually worldwide and leads to more resistance to antibiotics. If uncontrolled, AMR is projected to cause 10 million deaths and increase annual healthcare costs by more than $1 trillion by 2050. Today, it takes several days to grow a bacterial culture to diagnose the infection, which is necessary to prescribe the correct antibiotic. If a patient is seriously ill, there is no time to wait, and treatment must be started immediately, often with an incorrect antibiotic. AMR is still a limited problem in Norway. However, vigilance and increased awareness are needed to avoid the deterioration of this relatively favorable situation to ensure that antibiotics remain effective for treating life-threatening infections. The OH-AMR-Diag project will develop knowledge about measures that will contribute to understanding, managing, and preventing the development of AMR across public health, animal health, and the environment. Specifically, this project will develop rapid diagnostics for use in humans and animals, contributing to the reduced and precise use of antibiotics. We aim to create a field-based decision-making diagnostic prototype to reduce the test result time to 1 -5 hours. The OH-AMR-Diag project will address current societal and industry-related challenges through collaboration with businesses, research institutions, hospitals, citizen groups, and not-for-profit organizations in Norway, India, and Sri Lanka, promoting global public health.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the critical humans- and animal health-threatening issues worldwide. The veterinary sector shares most of the antimicrobial classes employed in treating human infections, resulting in a cumulative pressure on the microorganisms and therefore decreased efficacy. Recent research shows that internationally the use of antibiotics in livestock is rising while medical use in humans is falling. AMR is still a limited problem in Norway. However, continuous efforts and awareness-raising are needed to preserve the favorable situation and ensure that antibiotics remain effective when required. One Health (OH) is a term used to describe a principle recognizing that human and animal health are interconnected. Diseases are transmitted from humans to animals and vice versa and must therefore be tackled in both. OH-AMR-Diag will generate new knowledge that will allow us to understand, handle and prevent the development of AMR from an OH perspective, both nationally and internationally. In OH-AMR-Diag, an interdisciplinary and cross-sector approach to public and animal health and food production will be applied, covering occupational environment and, social aspects. Our goal is to develop a field-based decision-making prototype for early, accurate, and rapid (< 1h for the quick response and 3-5h for a detailed analysis) detection of infection, PathogenID, and resistance and antibiotic susceptibility profiles. The interdisciplinary project cuts across societal, medical, veterinary, natural sciences, and novel enabling technologies, which will develop knowledge from urine, milk, and fecal samples about pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria included on the WHO’s priority pathogens list. OH-AMR-Diag will address real societal and industry-related challenges through collaboration with businesses, citizen groups, clinical networks, and NGOs in India and Sri Lanka to promote Global Health. Also, OH-AMR-Diag will address several of the UN SDGs.