Germany expands interdisciplinary surveillance to curb rising antibiotic resistance

OHIS stands for One Health Integrated Surveillance, i.e. the monitoring of antibiotic resistance in the sense of a holistic, interdisciplinary One Health strategy. In addition to the BfR, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) are also involved in the network.

The group was formed in 2023 as part of the government's German Antibiotic Resistance Strategy (DART 2030). DART 2030 outlines six areas of action for halting the spread of antibiotic resistance at national level and through international cooperation. In addition to prevention, the appropriate use of antibiotics, research and development, "surveillance and monitoring" is one of the key areas of action. The aim of interdisciplinary surveillance is, among other things, to identify trends and developments in antibiotic resistance so that targeted measures can be taken at an early stage and subsequently assessed. One of the goals of DART 2030 is for the OHIS group to set up a website linking data from the individual sectors.

The BfR is involved in various aspects of the fight against antibiotic resistance. For example, the institute is home to the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Antibiotic Resistance. Its most important task is to collect comparable data on antibiotic resistance in zoonotic agents and other bacteria that pose a hazard to public health. The results are summarised in the annual zoonosis report and forwarded to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Since 2023, this and other monitoring data has also been made available to experts and the interested public via the ZooNotify internet portal.

Another key activity of the BfR is the collection and assessment of antibiotic consumption quantities in cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys, as well as the frequency of treatment in certain animal production types. The annual evaluation of the data forms the basis for the competent authorities to take measures to protect consumers.

The OHIS meeting, to which the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), the Ministry of Agriculture (BMLEH) and the Ministry of the Environment (BMUKN) are also invited, is organised by the BVL and supports the motto of this year's WAAW, "Act Now: Secure Our Present, Protect Our Future."