High-Resolution Genome Based Tracing of Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia Coli in Pork Production Chain to Identify the Critical Control Points: A One Health Systems Study

The project intends to quantitatively assess the dynamics of antimicrobial resistant AMR E.coli across the pork-value-chain in three different states, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Meghalaya to identify critical control points of entry and exit of AMR E.coli to design a relevant Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Three aspects: rapid ethnographic survey, assessment of pathogen levels at different points of production, through phenotypic and molecular characterisation of isolates for presence or absence of AMR genes proposes to develop a biomarker-based blood test to rapidly discriminate between viral and bacterial infections. The test will aid stewardship efforts by reducing the indiscriminate use of antibiotics for all suspected infections