Overview

The Quadripartite guidance on One Health integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and use (AMU) provides overarching objective-driven roadmaps for developing and strengthening context-appropriate systems for integrated surveillance.  

The guidance includes the definition for One Health integrated surveillance of AMR and AMU and considerations for type of integrated surveillance system design for AMR/AMU according to the objective or intended outcomes and considering available resources and national context; data collection needs, sampling approaches, and common integrated surveillance targets for AMR and AMU; laboratory and epidemiological requirements (e.g., infrastructure and technical expertise) for integrated surveillance of AMR and AMU; and options for integrated data analyses, interpretation, data sharing and communication that allow for valid, reliable, and representative findings and comparability within and between sectors, at national and international levels.  

The document is intended as a key resource for national surveillance authorities, regulatory agencies, One Health coordination bodies, international and non-governmental organizations involved in AMR and AMU surveillance and technical personnel and policymakers implementing AMR and AMU surveillance systems at all levels. Recognizing the evolving nature of the AMR challenge, this guidance is a living document, with scope for updates as new evidence emerges, particularly in under-researched sectors.