Integrating animal health surveillance and food safety: the issue of antimicrobial resistance

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in commensal, zoonotic and pathogenic bacteria from humans, animals and food is an essential source of information when formulating measures to improve food safety. International organisations (the World Health Organization,the World Organisation for Animal Health,the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission) have developed a complete set of standards related to resistance surveillance programmes and are calling for the establishment of integrated surveillance programmes. The most important task in establishing an integrated surveillance programme for antimicrobial resistance should be the harmonisation of laboratory testing methodology and antimicrobial-use reporting. Over the lastdecade, the integration of surveillance of antimicrobial resistance has been an important step toward addressing the global concern with antimicrobial resistance. However, very few systems are in place and there is still a lot to do before harmonised surveillance systems become the norm.