Antibiotics resistance & marine conservation

Introduction:

Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat because many infections caused by resistant bacteria in humans and animals are difficult to treat with the available antibiotics. Thus, antibiotic resistance is considered a "One Health" problem that affects the lives of humans, animals and the environment. This phenomenon is mainly due to the ability of bacteria and their genes to spread reciprocally between species. However, the overuse and abuse of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine and agriculture can significantly increase the spread and persistence of antibiotic resistance in various ecosystems.

For instance, if we focus on one of the vital elements, “water”, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their genes have been found in sediments, lakes, oceans and rivers. The presence of antibiotic resistance in marine ecosystems can be attributed to discharges from farms, aquaculture, pharmaceutical companies, human waste, and hospitals. This has global implications for wildlife, marine life, and human life.

This course, therefore, links these two priority topics: antibiotic resistance and marine conservation, under the "One Health" approach, as they are interconnected and have widespread implications for the human, animal, and environmental health.

Content:

The course "Antibiotic Resistance and Marine Conservation" consists of a blended learning system that includes synchronous and asynchronous units. The asynchronous content will be presented on the Moodle platform, where participants will explore the theoretical basis of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the pathways of spread between humans, animals, and the environment. They will also be introduced to recent scientific studies related to the One Health approach that show the link between marine life and antibiotic resistance, as well as will explore the impact of antibiotic resistance on marine life. Finally, interactive materials and sessions will allow participants to explore various research methods that can be used to investigate One Health issues.

During synchronous sessions, participants will meet online via "Zoom" with our guest speakers and will be able to work in international and interdisciplinary teams on a study protocol focused on One Health topics.

Learning objectives:

At the end of the module, the participants will be able to:

• Identify the definition, causes and routes of the spread of antibiotic resistance bacteria
• Recognise antibiotic resistance as a One Health topic
• Identify the various factors that impact marine life and their effect on human, animal and environmental health.
• Explore the interconnection between marine life and antibiotics
• Explore different research methods they can apply to study One Health topics

Target group: Students and docents of Bachelor, Master, PhD or equivalent (e.g., completed preliminary examination) in human health (human medicine, nursing, public health, epidemiology), animal health (veterinary medicine, agricultural studies), environmental studies (ecology, wildlife studies, sustainability), and social studies (anthropology, economics, geography, sociology).

Concept: Blended Learning (Moodle, Zoom)

ECTS: 3 credits (90 hours) – needs to be approved by your home institution

Language: English

Please find more information in the "Antibiotics resistance & marine conservation: A One Health approach" in the video below: