The early detection, assessment and monitoring of a hidden pandemic of antimicrobial-resistant infections

The emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens have led to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) now being considered a major public health concern. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites adapt, resulting in these pathogens no longer responding to commonly used drugs. This makes infections caused by resistant pathogens harder to treat, increasing the risk of severe illness and death.

Drivers of the emergence and spread of AMR are multi-sectoral, and relate to, among other factors, antibiotic exposure in humans, animals and the environment, standards of infection control, and international travel and trade.

To date, AMR surveillance in Europe and elsewhere is mainly relying on indicator-based surveillance. ECDC and national governments launched One Health programs for AMR, involving in addition to monitoring AMR in humans and animals (including food products), environmental surveillance, such as sewage monitoring. Nonetheless, the level of implementation of the One Health approach for AMR between European countries is variable, and the intersectoral evaluation of data originating from these multi-sectoral surveillance remains challenging.

Seeking to help address this public health issue, the MOOD project aims to leverage data science, and develop innovative tools and services for the early detection, assessment, and monitoring of current and future AMR threats across Europe. To support the work to curb AMR risks from Public Health and Veterinary Health agencies, MOOD has dedicated one study case to AMR: the AMR study case.

In the coming two years, MOOD plans to develop among other tools, risk maps of AMR prevalence and importation in (food) animal sectors in Europe, as well as explore the mining of unstructured surveillance data for event-based AMR surveillance activities. MOOD researchers and developers will work in close collaboration with national and international Public and Veterinary Health institutes through a series of meetings, discussions and hackathons. In this way, MOOD aims to co-design an innovative, sustainable, actionable set of services and tools to improve AMR surveillance and preparedness in Europe and worldwide.