AUTHOR=Thomsen Jens , Abdulrazzaq Najiba M. , AlRand Hussain , The UAE AMR Surveillance Consortium , Elhag Ahmed Ahmed , Yousef Ahmed F. , AlBlooshi Amna , latoom Dr. Adnan , Abdulkareem Al Hammadi Dr. Ahmed , Enshasy Dr. Alaa MM , Mubarak Madhi Dr. Amal , Nabi Dr. Anju , Shashikant Poddar Dr. Anup , Kumar Jha Dr. Arun , Abdulla Al Marzooqi Dr. Ayesha , Aden Dr. Bashir , Jafri Dr. Deeba , Hong Dr. Duckjin , Ibrahim Al-Marzooq Dr. Farah , Al Dhaheri Dr. Fatima , Abdel Wahab Dr. Ghada , Abdul Khader Khoder Dr. Ghalia , Avishkar Patil Dr. Gitanjali , Ahmad Dr. Hafiz , Khalifa Dr. Hazim , Alzabi Dr. Husein , Alsayed Mustafa Alhashami Dr. Ibrahim , Akthar Dr. Irfaan , Thomsen Dr. Jens , Stelling Dr. John , Diddi Dr. Kavita , Ramabhadran Dr. Krishnaprasad , Al Dabal Dr. Laila , Senghore Dr. Madikay , Abdel Fattah Ahmed Dr. Manal , Habous Dr. Maya , Zain Dr. Moeena , Maheshwari Dr. Monika , Maheshwari Dr. Monika , Saif Alfaresi Dr. Mubarak , Khan Dr. Mushtaq , Abdulrazzaq Dr. Najiba , Nabeel Al Shirawi Dr. Nehad , Helmy Dr. Nesrin , Nasa Dr. Prashant , Patil Dr. Rajeshwari T. A. , Kurahatti Dr. Ratna A. , Amirali Husain Dr. Riyaz , Lodu Serafino Wani Swaka Dr. Robert , Mudalagiriyappa Dr. Savitha , Oommen Dr. Seema , Ghannam Alkaabi Dr. Shaikha , Jog Dr. Simantini , Jog Dr. Simantini , O‘Sullivan Dr. Siobhan , Basu Dr. Somansu , Mohammed Eltahir Ali Dr. Yassir , Mustafa Naqvi Dr. Yousuf , Omar Al Deesi Dr. Zulfa , Fru Nsutebu Emmanuel , Jabeen Fouzia , Amirtharaj Selvaraj Francis , Ghulam Muhammad Hadayatullah , Lazreg Imene , Ali Kayaf Kaltham , Thomsen Laura , Chamani-Tabriz Leili , Fares Mrad Pamela , Frey Pascal , Senok Prof. Abiola , Agnes-Sonnevend-Pal Prof. , Andreas Podbielski Prof. , Carole Ayoub Moubareck Prof. , Dean Everett Prof. , Godfred A. Menezes Prof. , Hala Ahmed Fouad Ismail Prof. , Mohamud M. Sheek-Hussein Prof. , Peter Nyasulu Prof. , Sameh Soliman Prof. , Tibor Pal Prof. , Hussein Saeed , Weber Stefan , Khamees Majeed Sura , Irfan Hussein Rizvi Syed , Anthony Collyns Timothy , Osman Babiker Zahir , Agnes-Sonnevend-Pal Prof. , Andreas Podbielski Prof. , Carole Ayoub Moubareck Prof. , Dean Everett Prof. , Godfred A. Menezes Prof. , Hala Ahmed Fouad Ismail Prof. , Mohamud M. Sheek-Hussein Prof. , Peter Nyasulu Prof. , Sameh Soliman Prof. , Tibor Pal Prof. , Hussein Saeed , Weber Stefan , Khamees Majeed Sura , Irfan Hussein Rizvi Syed , Anthony Collyns Timothy , Babiker Zahir Osman , Agnes-Sonnevend-Pal Prof. , Podbielski Prof. Andreas , Moubareck Prof. Carole Ayoub , Everett Prof. Dean , Menezes Prof. Godfred A. , Ismail Prof. Hala Ahmed Fouad , Sheek-Hussein Prof. Mohamud M. , Nyasulu Prof. Peter , Soliman Prof. Sameh , Pal Prof. Tibor , Hussein Saeed , Weber Stefan , Majeed Sura Khamees , Rizvi Syed Irfan Hussein , Collyns Timothy Anthony , Babiker Zahir Osman TITLE=Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the United Arab Emirates: the early implementation phase JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=11 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1247627 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1247627 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=Introduction

National surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an important public health function. Published national AMR surveillance data from the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region is scarce. This paper describes the early implementation phase of establishing AMR surveillance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Materials and methods

Building on the existing AMR surveillance system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and adopting the WHO-GLASS methodology, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) established the national AMR Surveillance program in 2015, in collaboration with regional health authorities and healthcare providers. Main objectives of this program are to (a) set AMR surveillance standards, (b) collect and analyze AMR surveillance data for common bacterial and fungal infections, (c) report on AMR levels and trends in the UAE, (d) strengthen local and national capacity for AMR surveillance, and (e) support AMR prevention and control strategies in the UAE. AMR surveillance data is collected through a network of 317 surveillance sites (including 84 hospitals and 233 centers/clinics), and 45 microbiology labs across all seven Emirates of the UAE.

Results

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance has been successfully established since 2010 in the UAE. A national AMR surveillance protocol has been developed, adopting the WHO GLASS protocol. Extensive capacity-building and training activities have strengthened the local and national capacity for AMR surveillance. Between 2010 and 2021, a network of 317 surveillance sites and 45 laboratories have reported a total of 1,277,080 isolates from 662,065 non-duplicate patients to the national level. AMR data is reported annually by MOHAP through a National AMR surveillance report. National AMR data is utilized for informing the development of standard treatment guidelines at national level.

Conclusion

National surveillance of antimicrobial resistance has been successfully established in the United Arab Emirates, allowing to monitor levels and trends of antimicrobial resistance for common bacterial and fungal pathogens, and detecting emerging resistance. The availability of such national AMR surveillance data allows for the first time to inform the development of national standard treatment guidelines for empiric treatment of common bacterial and fungal infections in the UAE.