Antibiotic resistance, a threat to public health worldwide, is exacerbated by misuse and overuse of antibiotics for therapeutic purposes in human and veterinary medicine. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) is a multi-agency federal program that collaborates with public health and academic institutions in efforts to monitor antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from humans, retail meats, and food-producing animals. Our aim is to collaborate with the Food and Drug Administration to establish a NARMS site in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Retail Food (PR-ARS) Program’s primary goal is to enhance, strengthen and sustain antibiotic resistance surveillance in retail food specimens as part of NARMS. The strategies of this project address four (4) specific aims: (i) Develop and implement a surveillance system to enhance, strengthen and sustain NARMS; (ii) Develop a trainee program; (iii) Develop a collaboration with the Puerto Rico Department of Health to build capacity for microbial resistance detection and improvement in outreach response; (iv) Develop an outreach program before the end of the third quarter of PY-1 aimed at providing support to public health organizations and empowering communities on antibiotic resistance and its impact on food supply. Through this project, we will establish a collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania State University, which will serve as models and provide training for the success of the PR-ARS. Analyses of integrated genomics data from food and human sources will also enhance surveillance for antimicrobial resistance in enteric bacteria. PR-ARS will generate baseline data about the antimicrobial resistance status of enteric pathogens isolated from retail meats of PR and will provide critical data to FDA for regulatory oversight, which is essential for policy-making and improvements in food safety.

Project Narrative The aim of this project is to develop and implement a surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance of enteric bacteria in retail food outlets in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Retail Food Program’s primary goal is to enhance, strengthen and sustain surveillance for antibiotic resistance in retail food specimens within the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS). Comparison of bacteria isolates recovered from retail food with strains causing human illnesses contributes to improvements in food safety, facilitates outbreak investigations, and provides data to FDA for regulatory oversight.