The introduction of antimicrobial agents in veterinary and human medicine has been one of the most important medical achievements in the 20^th century.  However, soon after the introduction of antimicrobial agents, bacteria with acquired resistance emerged and antimicrobial resistance is today so widespread that it threatens the future effective use of antimicrobial agents. The use of antimicrobial agents is the main factor in selection and spread of antimicrobial resistance, even though the relationship may be complex. There is now increasing awareness of the potential problems on human health caused by antimicrobial resistance among food producing animals.  As antimicrobial resistance develops in the animal reservoir, the resistance may be tranfered to humans, either through contact or via the food chain. The transfer may include resistant zoonotic bacteria causin direct infection in the humans, or with commensal bacteria from wich the resistance genes may be transferred to the commensal bacteria on the human surface or in the gut.

I perform research and advisory services concerning methods for monitoring antimicrobial use and analysis of associations between antimicrobail use an development of antimicrobial resistance. I contibute to the annual DANMAP report, that monitors the antimicrobial use and resistance development in animals foods and humans.

The pupose of the surveillance and research is to identify means of limiting the development of antimicrobial resistance in animals and the spread to humans, in particular regarding the critically important antimicrobial. Critically important antimicrobials are identified by the WHO and other international organs as the antimicrobials of greatest importance to human health.