Microorganisms are increasingly developing the means to weaken or even to completely neutralize the effect of antibiotic substances. These mechanisms which are known as antibiotic resistance pose a threat to human health worldwide. Antibiotic-resistant pathogens are generally transmitted from person to person by direct contact or from their environment. This can occur in hospitals or everyday life. It is also known that flies can transmit bacteria to humans. However, what is not known is whether antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be transmitted and spread in this way. The aim of the project is to study this potential transmission pathway for antibiotic resistance more closely. The study is based on expert discussions, workshops and review of the relevant literature.

The project is part of a transnational research collaboration under the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR). The collaboration involves scientists from Gabon, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Denmark working together on a solution to this research question. The funding measure pursues the aim of bringing together relevant research groups with complementary expertise and resources from the participating countries. Cooperative research approaches will achieve progress in preventing, monitoring and combating antibiotic resistance which could not be achieved on a national level.