Methodological principles of nationally representative surveys as a platform for global surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in human bloodstream infections

Overview

National surveys can provide a reliable, direct measurement of the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for countries that do not yet have national AMR surveillance systems of high quality and coverage. This document outlines the methodological principles for the planning, implementing and reporting of nationally representative surveys to measure the prevalence of AMR, focusing initially on bacterial bloodstream infections in patients seeking acute inpatient care in hospitals. The document promotes key scientific quality standards to ensure that the resultant data are comparable within and between countries over time, and can be used to strengthen and inform national policies.