GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM AS A TOOL USED IN ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE SURVEILLANCE

Geographical information system (GIS) is a tool allowing to show geographical dependencies in order to better interpretation of the obtained results. The aim of the study was to use GIS for mapping the results of AMR Escherichia coli obtained within official monitoring acc. to Decision 2013/652/EC in Poland in 2018. The input data accounted for localisation places of origin of broiler and turkey flocks, at the level of municipalities, were obtained from General Veterinary Inspectorate and the tests results were obtained from National Reference Laboratory for AMR (Dept. of Microbiology, NVRI). Data on occurrence of indicator E. coli, E. coli producing ESBL or AmpC, and carbapenemase-producing E. coli were presented on maps generated using ArcGIS 10.4.1 (ESRI). Maps showing that places of sample collections were spread all over the country. The number of indicatory E. coli isolates per municipality for broilers oscillated between 1 and 16 and for turkeys – between 1 and 20. For both broiler and turkey flocks, most of indicator E. coli were located in the western part of Poland, but the main localisation of isolates was in the north of the country.  For E. coli producing ESBL or AmpC isolated from broilers the number of isolates per municipality was from 1 to 5 isolates while for turkeys from 1 to 11. For both broiler and turkey flocks, most of E. coli producing ESBL or AmpC, were located in the same municipality located in the western part of Poland. In the case of carbapenemase-producing E. coli no positive results were found both for broilers and turkeys. GIS mapping of AMR surveillance results revealed usefulness of the tool. The visualisation of geographical information might give stakeholders and scientists the possibility to locate problematic areas.