Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical issue worldwide, threatening human and animal health. Incorrect use of antibiotics causes 1.3 - 5 million deaths annually worldwide and leads to more resistance to antibiotics. If uncontrolled, AMR is projected to cause 10 million deaths and increase annual healthcare costs by more than $ 1 trillion by 2050.
Today, it takes several days to grow a bacterial culture to diagnose the infection, which is necessary to prescribe the correct antibiotic. If a patient is seriously ill, there is no time to wait, and treatment must be started immediately, often with an incorrect antibiotic.AMR is still a limited problem in Norway. However, vigilance and increased awareness are needed to avoid thedeterioration of this relatively favorable situation to ensure that antibiotics remain effective for treating life-threatening infections.
The OH-AMR-Diag project will develop knowledge about measures that will contribute to understanding, managing, and preventing the development of AMR across public health, animal health, and the environment. Specifically, this project will develop rapid diagnostics for use in humans and animals, contributing to the reduced and precise use of antibiotics. We aim to create a field-based decision-making diagnostic prototype to reduce the test result time to 1 -5 hours.
The OH-AMR-Diag project will address current societal and industry-related challenges through collaboration with businesses, research institutions, hospitals, citizen groups, and not-for-profit organizations in Norway, India, and Sri Lanka, promoting global public health.