Standardized One Health surveillance of antibiotic residues and antibiotic and heavy metal resistance in Baltic water environments and wild birds
( BALTIC-AMR )

Environment

Surveillance

Transmission

Research Project: 2024-04-01 - 2027-03-31
Total sum awarded: €1 221 740

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance and monitoring in the One Health context calls for interdisciplinary and multinational, standardized approaches at the human-animal-environment interface. Several previous studies describe the occurrence of AMR bacteria such as multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacterales and Pseudomonadales and AMR genes in one of the One Health dimensions including (wild) animals and the environment superficially. However, fewer efforts exist to holistically investigate the exact roles of wastewater treatment plants/surface water and wild birds as connected reservoirs for their global dissemination and spill-over. Here, we plan to investigate the occurrence of such bacteria, AMR genes, AMR in water-borne pathogens, and compound residues in water and wild birds across the Baltic Sea region, for which we have assembled experts from littoral states. By leveraging wild bird movement data and combining bacterial cultivation with genomics, qPCR, and phenotypic methodologies, we aim at analyzing water and wild bird fecal samples to characterize MDR bacteria in-depth, perform microbiological source tracking, assess the rates and fate of AMR genes, and elucidate different factors contributing to the spread of AMR, such as antimicrobial and heavy metal residues, and phenotypic resistance features. In summary, this is a proof-of-concept study of how to set up a standardized and reliable environmental AMR surveillance strategy in the One Health context.

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  • Katharina Schaufler, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Germany (Coordinator)
  • Karsten Becker, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany (Partner)
  • Jonas Bonnedahl, Linköping University (LiU), Sweden (Partner)
  • Ewa Kotlarska, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland (Partner)
  • Tanel Tenson, University of Tartu, Estonia (Partner)
  • Jonas Waldenström, Linnaeus University, Sweden (Partner)

To face the serious threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), we need to perform standardized and holistic approaches that combine efforts in the three major One Health disciplines: human, animal and environmental health. While it is well-known that AMR bacteria and AMR genes occur in each of these dimensions, it remains to be fully elucidated how exactly the environment and wildlife contribute to the contamination of clinical and non-clinical settings, how they are connected, and which methodologies and indicators to use. Here, we plan to establish a rational surveillance strategy that includes different member states around the Baltic Sea to investigate (waste)water and wild bird fecal samples for the occurrence and detailed characteristics of AMR bacteria, AMR genes, AMR in water-borne pathogens and antimicrobial and heavy metal residues. By also leveraging wild bird tracking data and available bird surveillance infrastructure as well as developing a rapid AMR detection method for water-borne pathogens, we aim at prospectively informing on suitable wild bird indicator species and water sampling/analysis procedures for a standardized and reliable AMR surveillance in the One Health context.

Call

2023 - Development of innovative strategies, tools, technologies, and methods for diagnostics and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance