NORSE - Network for One Health Resistome Surveillance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest global health challenges of our time. In 2015, The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a global action plan to address AMR and highlighted the need for a One Health approach to improve surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.Bacteria that have the ability to withstand exposure to antibiotics are termed resistant. Resistance is either intrinsic to the bacteria or acquired through favourable mutations or transfer of resistance genes between bacteria.Surveillance of AMR has focused on bacteria that cause disease. Research has shown that reservoirs of AMR genes circulate in the bacterial biosphere, in both commensal and pathogenic bacteria. This reservoir is termed the resistome. Studies have shown that transmission of resistance genes can occur between bacteria of the same species, as well as bacteria of different species and families. This means that antimicrobial resistance developed in a harmless bacteria can transfer to a potentially pathogenic bacteria.One Health is the understanding that human health is closely related to the health of animals and our environment. Bacteria are everywhere and AMR genes circulate not only in the human microbiome, but also in the environment and in animals.Improved surveillance of AMR is needed to better understand the transmission pathways of resistance in all One Health sectors, to enable better targeted interventions to limit the spread of AMR.The Network for One Health Resistome Surveillance (NORSE) is a consortium of public and private institutions, universities, hospitals and industry, with the following objective:1. To map the needs and requirements for a resistome surveillance system.2. To promote research and develop knowledge about the resistome, transmission of AMR, and data collection tools for resistome surveillance.3. To promote dissemination of knowledge on AMR in a One Health perspective nationally and globally.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest global health challenges of our time. The resistome is the reservoar of genes resulting in AMR. Resistome surveillance is critical for understanding the dynamics of AMR, both in Norway and globally.

We aim to create a multidisciplinary network of scientists leveraging their efforts to develop a National One Health Resistome Surveillance System (NORSE) in order to monitor the development and dissemination of AMR in the environment, the food chain, in animals and humans.

The following partners are included in NORSE: The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy, University of Oslo (The Centre for Global Health, Institute of Oral Biology, Department of Informatics), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Oslo University Hospital, The Inland Hospital Trust Department, NOFIMA and NCE Heidner Biocluster. The individual members of the network are experts in key fields that are required to meet the NORSE core objectives, including human- and veterinary medicine, microbiology, genomics, epidemiology, informatics, bioinformatics, digital health and global health.

NORSE will be organized as three interdisciplinary working packages (WP) following the NORSE core objectives. Each WP will have a leader and a deputy leader responsible for the establishment of good routines for communication, collaboration and progress towards the outlined deliverables. In addition, the project coordinator and two scientific coordinators will manage and facilitate activities between the WP towards the overall aims and objectives of NORSE.

Primary objectives:

To create an multidisciplinary network of scientists leveraging their efforts to develop a National One Health Resistome Surveillance System in order to monitor the development and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment, the food chain, in animals and humans.

Secondary objectives

- To map the needs and requirements for a resistome surveillance system.

- To promote research and develop of knowledge on the resistome, transmission of AMR, resistome data collection toolsand clinical applications of resistome data.

- To promote dissemination of knowledge on AMR in a One Health perspective nationally and globally.