Our WHO CC supports WHO in developing international standards, guidance materials, and on request of WHO, provides technical assistance to Member States in the field of antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach. 

Our WHO CC is working on the fate and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from humans and animals through food and the environment. This includes the water cycle (human sewage, surface water), soil, animal manure and air. Also, extensive knowledge exists within our WHO CC with respect to surveillance and detection of antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes in environmental matrices, with a focus on global priority pathogens such as carbapenem-resistant or ESBL-producing Enterobacterales. 

Our WHO CC contributed to the protocol for integrated global surveillance on ESBL-producing E. coli using a “One Health” approach (the Tricycle protocol) and supports its implementation  countries. The WHO CC has been an active member of the WHO AMR Surveillance and Quality Assessment Collaborating Centres Network (AMR Surveillance CC Network) in supporting WHO in capacity building activities in countries.

Our activities for 2022-2027 include:

1. Support WHO’s activities related to antimicrobial resistance in environment
   
   The WHO CC establishes exposure assessment of resistant bacteria in water. Furthermore, the WHO CC contributes to technical support to development of standard setting for industrial emissions of antibiotics. We support good practice on integration of wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2,  and poliovirus in wastewater-based epidemiology. 
2. Support WHO in developing the global ESBL E.coli tricycle surveillance protocol 
   
   The WHO CC has been highly involved in the continuous development of the One Health approach to surveillance of AMR, contributed to development of the protocol, and assisted with its implementation. Our WHO CC will support to evaluate and update the global ESBL E.coli tricycle surveillance protocol for integrated global surveillance on ESBL-producing E. coli using a “One Health” approach and extending to other antibiotic resistance. 
3. Provide training to strengthen capacities for strengthening waterborne disease surveillance systems and implementation of AMR environmental surveillance
   
   The WHO CC has been an active member of the WHO AMR Surveillance and Quality Assessment Collaborating Centres Network (AMR Surveillance CC Network) in supporting WHO in capacity building activities in countries. We continue helping WHO deliver technical assistance to countries implementing AMR environmental surveillance.

Leading staff and expertise