UK Research Councils and the Department of Health have awarded a grant to the University of Bristol to lead an inter-disciplinary research project to tackle the growing threat of antibacterial drug resistance (ABR) in Thailand.

Thailand, like many countries, is currently facing a major health threat due to the high prevalence of ABR in disease-causing bacteria found in humans, animals and the environment.

In response to the threat of ABR, the Thai Government has instigated its National Strategic Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2017-2022). The aim is to improve national surveillance for ABR bacteria to quantify the problem, and includes initiatives to reduce the rate of infections and the usage of antibiotics, which are known to select for ABR bacteria.

The University of Bristol led project will enhance work already ongoing in Thailand to understand the drivers of ABR and behaviours around antibiotic use. At the outset, the project will involve a series of workshops in Thailand to share knowledge amongst Thai and UK ABR experts, to bring together a group of early career academics, and to collectively develop a research programme that will consider the related parameters.

The information generated from microbiological, genomic and chemical screens, together with anthropological research, will be used to identify changes that might reduce ABR in Thailand.