Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/S015965/1
Mapping the evidence for the risks of human exposure and transmission of AMR in the natural environment
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor R Garside, University of Exeter, Institute of Health Research
- Co-Investigator:
- Dr A Leonard, University of Exeter, Public Health and Sport Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor WH Gaze, University of Exeter, Public Health and Sport Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Exeter, Institute of Health Research
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Information Sci. & Retrieval
- Environment & Health
- Medical science & disease
- Environmental Microbiology
- Pollution
- Abstract:
- Antimicrobials (such as antibacterial and antifungal medicines) are used to treat and prevent infections in humans and animals. Effective antimicrobial drugs are essential to modern medicine and to food production practices. However, the microorganisms that cause many common infections are developing the ability to survive and grow even in the presence of antimicrobials, particularly antibiotics. This antimicrobial resistance (AMR) leads to treatment failure, with consequent poor health outcomes and even death. There has been a rapid recognition both by national and international organisations that AMR is a critical emerging threat to our health and wellbeing. If current trends continue AMR infections could be the leading cause of death globally by 2050. Until recently, most attention has focused on the role that clinical settings, like hospitals, and agricultural settings, such as farms, play in contributing to the development and spread of AMR. But, as a large proportion of AMR infections are now known to be acquired in the community, and many resistance mechanisms to have evolved in environmental bacteria before spread to human pathogens, environmental sources are increasingly recognised as key. However, the research that has been conducted about human health risks from environmental sources of AMR risk is disparate, covers a wide range of topic areas, and has not previously been brought together systematically. This study will establish what research has been undertaken to assess the role of the environment in AMR acquisition. It will use a research method called "systematic evidence mapping" to ensure that all the relevant research evidence is identified in a robust and non-biased way. The aim is to identify, categorise and describe the range of research evidence available. As well as written descriptions, a series of graphics and tables will be generated as a quick reference to how much research has addressed particular types of issues. This will allow us to see easily where there has been a lot of research and where there has been little or none. This "evidence gap" identification can show where research still needs to be done. We will work with stakeholders to prioritise which evidence gaps are most pressing to fill. Where there is already a body of research, this can in the future be brought together using full systematic review methodologies to form a better understanding of a topic area for policy and practitioners to make evidence based decisions.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/S015965/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Innovation
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- EEF
This grant award has a total value of £80,591
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| DI - Other Costs | Indirect - Indirect Costs | DA - Investigators | DA - Estate Costs | DI - Staff | DA - Other Directly Allocated | DI - T&S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,331 | £35,214 | £5,752 | £7,098 | £29,693 | £212 | £1,290 |
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