Key Objectives:
This roundtable will provide an opportunity for participants to share current ‘One Health’ AMR surveillance efforts and discuss how state health agencies can advance efforts to improve standardization and coordination across settings. There are federal efforts underway that state efforts can inform and complement; learnings from a recent ASTHO meeting will be shared. Participants will discuss how state health agencies can be key players to engage partners and improve access to data to coordinate ‘One Health’ AMR surveillance efforts. These activities support the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Goal 2, “Strengthen National One-Health Surveillance Efforts to Combat Resistance”.
Brief Summary:
State health agencies play a role in addressing antimicrobial resistance across settings, including tracking where infections are occurring and where resistance is growing. Health agencies can coordinate internally and with partners to conduct AMR surveillance guided by the "One Health" concept that recognizes that the health of humans is connected to the health of animals and the environment. State health agencies can support surveillance for antibiotic-resistant organisms in healthcare settings and in the community to provide state-specific data. Health agencies need the expertise and capacity to identify and prioritize the best sources of data for action, conduct state-level surveillance, and develop analysis and response plans. The epidemiology of antibiotic-resistant organisms is local; health agencies can use state-based data to establish baselines, conduct investigations, and target prevention efforts. With adequate capacity, epidemiologists can analyze surveillance data across settings and create reports for stakeholders, including healthcare providers, veterinary and agriculture partners, and the public. There is also a need for coordinated efforts to inform the national picture of AMR. While a number of surveillance systems and data sources currently exist to track resistance, challenges include variation in reporting requirements and elements across states and variation in data reported for different organisms. A systems approach is needed, including standardized definitions and reporting mechanisms and consistency in state reporting policies. Enhancements can be made to current systems to ensure comparable data collection across settings (e.g., human healthcare, the community, companion animals, animal agriculture). Data can be used to evaluate the effects of federal guidance or state initiatives to ensure they are being adopted as intended, provide information regarding antibiotic use practices, and inform understanding of how antibiotic use practices may be associated with resistance.