Canada's Efforts to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance Get Boost from Collaborative Research Initiative

The battle against antimicrobial resistance is crucial, affecting both livestock and human health globally. Policies have restricted farmer access to antibiotics and changed prescription practices.

In Canada, microbiologist Dominique Poulon-Laprade is at the forefront, studying how bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop resistance to drugs.

Canada is halfway through a five-year federal research commitment on antimicrobial resistance, with the Genomics Research and Development Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRDI AMR) running from 2023 to 2027.

The initiative involves over 40 federal scientists working across sectors like human health, livestock, aquaculture, and agriculture, addressing the interconnected web of human, animal, plant, and environmental health.

Canada is following international commitments on antimicrobial resistance, with the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance guiding efforts, including research, surveillance, stewardship, infection prevention, and leadership.

GRDI AMR stands out for its integrated approach, funding researchers from various sectors within a single project. The consortium includes hundreds of people working on 25 sub-projects, focusing on identifying areas for action against antimicrobial resistance.

Research under GRDI AMR includes studying Klebsiella bacteria, which has developed drug-resistant strains posing a threat to human health. The team has identified genetic lineages and resistance genes in these bacteria.

Challenges remain, including siloed reporting systems, budget constraints, and technical issues. The consortium aims to continue its work post-2027, expanding research on microbe resistance profiles and factors affecting virulence.

According to the source: Farmtario.