UK public health antimicrobial resistance alerts (ARAs)
Antimicrobial resistance alerts (ARAs) inform microbiologists of emerging antimicrobial-resistant micro-organisms that could spread in the UK health service.
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The issuing of an antimicrobial resistance alert (ARA) means that enhanced microbiological surveillance should be instigated and that, whenever there is a suspicion that a resistant strain may be circulating, isolates should be sent to the appropriate UK Health Security (UKHSA) reference laboratory for testing. Specific infection control measures may also be recommended.
Proposals for ARAs may be put forward by any interested party. Proposals should be addressed to the standing committee co-chairs via resistance.alerts@ukhsa.gov.uk
Where proposals are based on surveillance data, an appropriate reference unit will need to confirm the resistance of relevant isolates.
The standing committee co-chairs will initially review proposals and, if deemed of sufficient public health impact, convene a standing committee teleconference to consider whether an alert is needed.
Further information
Further details on referring bacterial isolates to UKHSA can be found at:
Updates to this page
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Updated text, retagged to UKHSA and removed 2 out-of-date attachments.
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First published.