Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain (FutureLearn)

Explore how antibiotics are used in farming: How can antibiotic-resistant bacteria find their way onto our food? What impact does the environment and global trade have on the spread of this bacteria? Finally, consider what might be done to tackle antibiotic resistance: How effective are current policies? Can we find new types of antibiotics or alternatives to antibiotics? What can we do internationally?

What topics will you cover?

• Antimicrobial agents: What they are, how they work, and how resistance develops and transfers between bacteria.
• Introduction to the basis of controls currently applied to antimicrobial usage.
• Usage of antimicrobials in the animal food chain – as therapeutic agents, prophylactics, metaphylactics and growth promoters.
• Increasing frequency of antimicrobial resistance genes in the food chain - evidence of the causal effect of antibiotic use in animal production on resistance development.
• The epidemiological links between use in animals and public health.
• The environmental impact of antibiotic use in livestock.
• Current UK, EU and global policy and legislation.
• Proposed future legislation and policy actions to tackle AMR.
• Impact on global trade and supply chain.
• Good practice in the industry, use of alternative approaches and how this can stop the spread of AMR.

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

• Describe the connection between antibiotic use and the development of antibiotic resistance.
• Describe the mechanisms and dynamics of transfer of resistant bacteria within and along the food chain, as well as describe the environmental impact of the use of antimicrobials.
• Appraise current legislation and policy in relation to controlling usage of antimicrobials in the food chain.
• Identify alternative approaches to infection control not involving antibiotics.