Project Grant 20246801542636

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INTEGRATION OF DATA FROM THE HUMAN, ANIMAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTORS IS CRITICAL TO IMPLEMENTING A ONE-HEALTH APPROACH TO ADDRESS ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR). THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT OF THE ONE-HEALTH APPROACH IN ADDRESSING AMR BY TARGETING THREE ISSUES: (1) LIMITED DATA IN SHOWING THE CONNECTION OF AMR BACTERIA FOUND IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO THOSE COLONIZING AND INFECTING HUMANS AND ANIMALS; (2) LIMITED OVERLAP IN THE GENOMES OF AMR PATHOGENS IN HUMANS AND IN ANIMALS, LEAVING DOUBT OVER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AMR TRANSMISSION BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT; (3) NEED FOR ENGAGEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDERS IN UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN DISSEMINATING AND MITIGATING AMR BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS. OUR OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO DECIPHER HOW THE ENVIRONMENT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND EVOLUTION OF AMR BACTERIA AND GENES RELEVANT TO HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH. THREE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) TRACK THE TRANSMISSION OF CLINICALLY RELEVANT AMR BACTERIA AND GENES OF HUMAN- AND ANIMAL-ORIGIN IN THE ENVIRONMENT; (2) INVESTIGATE THE EVOLUTION OF AMR IN FECAL BACTERIA IN THE ENVIRONMENT BY ASSESSING THE ACQUISITION OF AMR GENES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOTA; (3) IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE OF AMR-RELATED RISKS AND INSPIRE THE ADOPTION OF PRACTICES AMONG FOOD PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS TO COMBAT AMR-RELATED HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY RISKS ACROSS THE FOOD CHAIN. TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES, A TEAM IS ASSEMBLED WITH EXPERTISE IN HUMAN MEDICINE, VETERINARY DIAGNOSTICS, ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, ANIMAL SCIENCE, AND EXTENSION AND EDUCATION.