Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
(N/A)
LINCOLN,NE 68583
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
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.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Our goal is to improve the understanding of the role of the environmental component of the One Health approach in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The overall objective of this integrated proposal is to develop strategies to decipher how the environment may contribute to the transmission and evolution of AMR bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes (AMR genes) relevant to human and animal health. The following objectives have been developed:Objective 1: Track the transmission of clinically relevant AMR bacteria and genes of human- and animal-origin in the environment. Working hypothesis: Tracking the transmission of clinically relevant AMR in the environment can be enhanced by integrating data from all three sectors of One Health. Specifically, data integration efforts include expanding monitoring from diagnosis to surveillance, focusing on clinically relevant pathogens in the environment, and unifying isolation and analytical procedure.Objective 2: Investigate the evolution of AMR in fecal bacteria in the environment by assessing the acquisition of AMR genes from environmental microbiota. Working hypothesis: Fecal bacteria can acquire clinically relevant AMR genes from environmental microbiota via horizontal gene transfer.Objective 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. Working Hypothesis: Delivery of project outcomes via traditional and innovative outreach and education efforts, coupled with a new professional development opportunity for Food, Nutrition, and Health professionals in extension, will optimize distribution of evidence-based information and practice recommendations to food producers and consumers, which will positively impact knowledge and behaviors to mitigate AMR-related human and animal health risks.
Project Methods
Objective 1Task 1.1. Compare the genomics and the epidemiology records of historical AMR Salmonella and STEC in Nebraska.Task 1.2. Collect surveillance and diagnostic samples from human and cattle.Task 1.3. Use case-based monitoring to track the transmission of AMR STEC and Salmonella in the environment.Objective 2Task 2.1. Conduct HGT experiment using E. coli wild type as recipient and environmental microbiota as donor.Task 2.2. Determine the effects of nutrient level and selective pressure on conjugation efficiency.Task 2.3. Conduct WGS and MIC tests on the E. coli strain receiving mobile AMR genes from the soil microbiome.Objective 3Task 3.1. Deliver, evaluate, and refine professional development training for extension professionals in the Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion (FSNHP) program area. Task 3.2. Continue delivering research findings to target audiences through the iAMResponsibleTM Project and the eXtension LPELC.