Description

Context: Antimicrobial resistance, a major international problem

Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of a micro-organism (bacteria, viruses and certain parasites) to prevent an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from acting against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and can spread to other hosts.
Antibioresistance is one of the components of antimicrobial resistance and corresponds to the development of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria. These mechanisms spread all the better as bacteria are able to carry out horizontal transfer of resistance genes. Because of the therapeutic failures it causes, antibioresistance is now one of the most serious threats to global health and food security. The World Health Organization even fears the imminent advent of a post-antibiotic era in which common infections and minor injuries would again be fatal.

ROADMAP: a multidisciplinary project to support transition towards prudent antimicrobial use

Even if it is possible to learn from successful experiences, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to reduce AMU but various strategies working according to local conditions, defined by social, economic, technical and institutional variables. ROADMAP will develop innovative conceptual approaches within a transdisciplinary and multi-actor perspective to engage with animal health professionals, stakeholders and policy-makers. It will adapt, combine and produce tailored strategies to reduce AMU in diverse production systems (pig, poultry, cattle) in Europe, Mozambique and Vietnam.

Innovative communication, dissemination and exploitation tools will be implemented to reach a large community of end-users. ROADMAP will identify levers and incentives to encourage AMU change, by providing:

1. Scenarios and recommendations for efficient transitions towards prudent AMU;
2. Solutions socially acceptable but also technically and economically feasible.

ROADMAP will therefore contribute to the fight against antimicrobial resistance by allowing cross-learning from diverse successful experiences, encouraging a harmonization of AMU reduction trends across Europe and thus favouring a global decrease of AMU in animal production