Antimicrobial Research and One Health in Africa

Akebe Luther King Abia (King) is a Professor of Applied and Environmental Microbiologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is also the Founder and CEO of the Environmental Research Foundation (ERF). His research focuses on, but is not limited to, antimicrobial resistance in the environment and how this relates to humans and animals through the One Health approach, using culture and molecular techniques, including metagenomics and whole-genome sequencing. He has over 20 years of experience as a microbiologist and is involved in many projects including monitoring water and soil for human pathogens, especially antibiotic-resistant ones, under changing climates. He has published over 80 journal articles, 6 book chapters and 1 book. He has also graduated 7 PhD, 10 MSc students.Sabiha Essack is the South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Antibiotic Resistance and One Health and Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal(UKZN).  She is a pharmacist by profession and holds the B. Pharm., M. Pharm and PhD degrees, the latter in Pharmaceutical Microbiology. Sabiha is the Vice Chair of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Antimicrobial Resistance (STAG-AMR), Senior Implementation Research Advisor at the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) in Denmark, member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Joint Programming Initiative on AMR (JPIAMR) and member of the International Pharmacy Federation (FIP) AMR Commission. Her research focuses on the molecular epidemiology of AMR using next generation sequencing and bioinformatics and One Health systems strengthening in the context of AMR.

• Preface.- Microbiological safety and antimicrobial resistance in fresh produce production in Africa.- The current status of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in African aquaculture.- Antibiotic resistance in food animals in Africa: Occurrence, human health risk, socio-economic impact, and mitigation measures.- The era of bacterial genomics in antibiotic research in Africa.- Insights Gained Through Genomics and Metagenomics Resistomes Studies in Africa.- Occurrence and health risks of antimicrobial resistance in African aquatic systems.- Antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in African coastal ecosystems.- Application of nanotechnology for the elimination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from wastewater.- Genetics of viral resistance: clinical relevance and role in future disease outbreaks.- Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enterica in Africa.- Antimicrobial resistance patterns of ESKAPE pathogens in humans, animals, and the environment in Africa.- Informal settlements and slums: Sinks and sources of antibiotic resistance in Africa.- Antibiotic resistance pattern of bloodstream infections in neonates.- Natural products in combination with conventional antimicrobial agents – A potential solution to antimicrobial resistance.- Biocidal activity of plant extracts: the case of Algeria.- Interconnection between antibiotic resistance and disinfectant resistance.- Effects of disinfectant resistance in a post antibiotic era in animal production.- Antimicrobial Stewardship in Africa.- Occurrence, human exposure, and health risks of antibiotic resistance in the funeral industry: A Perspective.- Social structures and assemblages of AMR in African settings.- Bibliography.- Index.