About

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens is widely acknowledged as one of the most serious threats to human and animal health, with some bacteria resistant to all known antibiotics. Many AMR pathogens are found in both humans and animals and understanding how resistant strains and genes spread between hosts is an essential part of targeted interventions to reduce AMR. Wild birds play an important role in AMR for several reasons. First, because of their ubiquity, they readily pick up bacteria from contaminated environments, such as livestock farms and waste-water treatment facilities. Second, wild birds are known to harbour numerous AMR bacterial pathogens, including Campylobacter. Third, birds can disseminate AMR pathogens over great distances in a short period of time . Finally, proximity to human populations makes birds an important potential infection route.

Meet the team

Project lead: Evangelos Mourkas, Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford

UK:
Professor Samuel Sheppard, Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford
Ben Pascoe, Big Data institute, University of Oxford
Professor Tamás Székely‬, University of Bath, University of Debrecen
Kees Wanders, University of Bath

Chile:
Jose Valdebenito, Austral University of Chile

Finland:
Aleksi Lehikoinen, University of Helsinki

Iceland:
Pedro Rodrigues, RIF field station, Managing Director