AMR Pathways: Why One Health Collaboration Is Essential for Tackling AMR
PUBLICATION DATE: April 15, 2026
How can veterinary and human microbiology work together to strengthen antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance, diagnostics, and stewardship? This is what experts Kelli Maddock, DrPH, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM and Sarah Gefroh, MLS(ASCP)CMSMCM from the North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory discuss during Episode 1 of Season 2 of the bioMérieux AMR Pathways webinar series. This article highlights the key takeaways from this important conversation.
You can watch the full episode by clicking below.
AMR Pathways Season 2, Episode 1: Key Insights
AMR Knows No Boundaries
AMR doesn’t respect boundaries. As Dr. Maddock reminded us, microorganisms “don’t really stay in their own lane.” They move between humans, animals, food systems, and the environment, bringing resistance along with them. This reinforces the need for a One Health approach rather than siloed strategies.
Veterinary Labs Are Early Warning Systems
Veterinary diagnostics often detect emerging resistance before it appears in human healthcare—one example is the first documented carbapenem‑resistant E. coli outbreak in a veterinary hospital. These early signals act as sentinel markers, helping human health systems prepare for threats before they escalate.
Surveillance Is Still Fragmented
AMS Principles Translate Across Sectors
Despite differences in species and workflows, veterinary and human antimicrobial stewardship share the same building blocks. Sarah Gefroh emphasized: “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel … we can take [human] procedures, guidance, and rules and tailor them to us.” Tiered reporting, diagnostic stewardship, and standardized antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods all carry strong cross‑sector relevance.
Rural Providers Face Steeper Challenges
Rural veterinary clinics often mirror rural hospitals: fewer resources, fewer specialists, and limited diagnostic access. “They are extra in a silo… they don’t have a team of pharmacists helping them out. They don’t have ID doctors,” Maddock explained. Strengthening cross-sector communication could be a lifeline for these practitioners.
Collaboration Is Already Delivering Results
One Health partnerships are uncovering hidden links between human and animal infections. A recent example was the multidrug‑resistant Salmonella in zoo animals that sequencing later tied to human infections nationwide. Such discoveries highlight the power of shared systems and coordinated investigation.
Other examples of successful One Health collaboration include:
- CREATE Lab (UPenn) confirming veterinary CRE and linking human/animal cases
- AR Lab Network hubs sequencing animal isolates (e.g., Minnesota)
- Shared datasets at NCBI improving linkage of human and animal case.
“What is the next needed thing? It might just be a phone call … small actions that actually make some change.”
“There’s room for everyone at the table … It’s a great opportunity to make a difference.”
Want the deeper discussion, examples, and real-world case studies shared by Dr. Maddock and Ms. Gefroh?
What is AMR Pathways?
The AMR Pathways webinar series raises awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as an urgent global health challenge and highlights actions to reduce its burden. Through expert insights, real-world case studies, and practical strategies, the series equips participants to advance antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), drive meaningful change, and navigate evolving policy and diagnostic landscapes. Emphasizing personal and collective responsibility, the webinars demonstrate how everyday decisions and cross-disciplinary collaboration can create real-world impact, while reinforcing the critical role of diagnostics in improving outcomes and combating AMR.
Learn more about the series and get even more insights from the AMR community by visiting our AMR Summit Hub.
