Antimicrobials and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in New Zealand Water Bodies - Pollution, Risk, and Control
❄
Networking
The World Health Organization has declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) one of the top 10 global public health threats, estimating a staggering 10 million annual deaths related to AMR by 2050 worldwide. With the unlikelihood of new broad-spectrum antibiotics being discovered, we need to prevent AMR transmission and reduce the need for more powerful antimicrobials. Wastewater is critical in spreading antimicrobial-resistant microbes, antimicrobial drug residues and AMR genes in the environment. High concentrations of AMR genes and AMR organisms have been detected in environmental samples recovered from hospital and urban-treated wastewater. In New Zealand, where several wastewater treatment plants urgently need upgrades to meet basic effluent standards, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes in our waters poses particularly significant threats that have largely gone unreported.
Join us for a workshop where domestic and international experts discuss the threats of AMR emergence in New Zealand's water environments and share creative ways to control it. This event will allow knowledge-sharing across disciplines and encourage partnerships among individuals in different fields. Attending informative talks and engaging in interactive conversations will inform attendees about the origins, ways of spreading, and methods of tracking antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Through interactive discussions, we will explore policy frameworks, research priorities, and opportunities for cross-sector partnerships to tackle this challenge collectively.