title: A Decade-Long Commitment to Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Portugal.
abstract: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a worldwide problem with serious health and economic repercussions. Since the 1940s, underuse, overuse, and misuse of antibiotics have had a significant environmental downside. Large amounts of antibiotics not fully metabolized after use in human and veterinary medicine, and other applications, are annually released into the environment. The result has been the development and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to many years of selective pressure. Surveillance of AMR provides important information that helps in monitoring and understanding how resistance mechanisms develop and disseminate within different environments. Surveillance data is needed to inform clinical therapy decisions, to guide policy proposals, and to assess the impact of action plans to fight AMR. The Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit, based at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Vila Real, Portugal, has recently completed 10 years of research surveying AMR in bacteria, mainly commensal indicator bacteria such as enterococci andEscherichia colifrom the microbiota of different animals. Samples from more than 75 different sources have been accessed, from humans to food-producing animals, pets, and wild animals. The typical microbiological workflow involved phenotypic studies followed by molecular approaches. Throughout the decade, 4,017 samples were collected and over 5,000 bacterial isolates obtained. High levels of AMR to several antimicrobial classes have been reported, including to β-lactams, glycopeptides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, sulphonamides, and quinolones. Multi-resistant strains, some relevant to human and veterinary medicine like extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producingE. coliand vancomycin-resistant enterococci, have been repeatedly isolated even in non-synanthropic animal species. Of particular relevance are reports of AMR bacteria in wildlife from natural reserves and endangered species. Future work awaits as this threatening yet unsolved problem persists. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTSummary diagram of the antimicrobial resistance surveillance work developed by the UTAD Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environment Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal; Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Catarina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environment Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal; Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environment Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal; Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Science Department, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal; UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Nova of LisbonLisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poeta
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environment Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal; Functional Genomics and Proteomics Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto DouroVila Real, Portugal; UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Nova of LisbonLisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Igrejas
keywords: Escherichia coli; antimicrobial resistance; enterococci; molecular microbiology; surveillance; wildlife