---
title: "One Health & AMR: why better diagnostics must start earlier in the chain."
description: Explore how early diagnostics in a One Health approach can combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by integrating human, animal, and environmental health insights.
---

[Inviblog | Pure Science](https://blog.invitek.com)

# [One Health & AMR: why better diagnostics must start earlier in the chain.](https://blog.invitek.com/lifescience/one-health-and-amr-why-better-diagnostics-must-start-earlier-in-the-chain)

 Written by [Invitek Diagnostics](https://blog.invitek.com/author/invitek-diagnostics) | Mar 30, 2026, 4:04:24 PM

## 1. Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is often framed as a hospital problem. That framing is understandable: clinicians and microbiology laboratories see the immediate consequences of resistant infections. However, resistance arises, spreads and is selected for across a far broader set of interfaces. Human health, veterinary care, food production and the environment are linked by organism movement, gene flow and shared selective pressures.

If we want AMR strategies that reduce risk rather than merely document failure, diagnostic insight needs to move upstream. That means detecting resistance determinants earlier, across a wider variety of sample types, and returning reliable results fast enough to shape stewardship, biosecurity and supply-chain risk management.

## 2.    Why AMR needs a One Health diagnostic lens

Resistance genes and resistant organisms do not respect sector boundaries. A resistance determinant selected by antimicrobial use in livestock can be carried on mobile elements into food chains, reach people through food handling or the environment, and re-enter clinical settings \[1\]. Conversely, resistant strains emerging in hospitals can seed wastewater and agricultural soil.

A One Health diagnostic lens recognises three practical implications. First, surveillance must cover multiple matrices: clinical specimens, faecal material, carcass swabs, wastewater and environmental samples. Second, methods must target both organisms and resistance determinants, because phenotypic resistance and genetic markers offer different but complementary signals. Third, data must be comparable and timely so that stewardship decisions, regulatory responses and on-farm interventions can be coordinated.

These priorities are reflected in the WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2026–2036 and the latest Quadripartite guidance on One Health AMR surveillance. Both reinforce the need for coordinated surveillance across sectors, with compatible sampling approaches, laboratory methods and data interpretation \[4,5\]. 

## 3.    The diagnostic gap in AMR response

Current AMR responses often rely on culture-based testing and ad hoc sampling. Culture remains essential for many purposes, but it has limits for broad surveillance. Culturing takes time, it may miss viable-but-non-culturable organisms, and selective media bias can hide relevant taxa. Fragmented workflows between clinical, veterinary and food laboratories reduce comparability and slow information flow.

Treatment-stage testing is valuable but reactive. By the time culture and susceptibility results are available, an infection may be established and transmission chains advanced. For surveillance, the key questions are different: where are resistance determinants emerging, how are they moving, and which nodes in the system represent the highest risk for spillover. Answering these questions requires faster detection across diverse sample types, plus reproducible methods that perform in complex matrices.

## 4.    Where molecular diagnostics can change the picture

Molecular diagnostics do not replace culture; they complement it. Targeted nucleic acid tests can detect resistance genes and organism-specific signatures directly from many matrices. The practical advantages are clear: speed, sensitivity for low-abundance targets, and the ability to multiplex assays to screen for multiple genes or pathogens in a single run.

PCR and real-time PCR remain workhorse technologies because they are well understood, relatively affordable and scalable. Multiplex panels can screen for common resistance determinants - such as beta-lactamase genes or macrolide resistance markers - alongside species identification markers. When combined with careful assay design and validation, these approaches provide early warning signals that guide targeted culture, epidemiological tracing and stewardship.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) extends that early-warning layer closer to where decisions are made. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) supports POCT because it amplifies nucleic acids at a single, constant temperature, removing the need for complex thermocyclers and enabling compact, low-power instruments \[2\]. LAMP often produces a detectable signal within tens of minutes and shows relative tolerance to inhibitors found in urine, faeces and many environmental samples, which can allow simpler extraction workflows in some settings. Lyophilised LAMP reagents and straightforward readouts reduce cold-chain demands and operator complexity. These practical advantages make LAMP a useful near-patient screening tool when assays are well designed, include internal controls and sit within a defined workflow that specifies reflex testing and interpretive rules.

Genotypic results require interpretation. Presence of a gene does not always equal clinical resistance, and context matters. That is why molecular outputs should be integrated with phenotypic data where available and used to prioritise investigations rather than to make blanket treatment decisions in isolation.

## 5.    The importance of sample preparation and workflow design

High-quality molecular results start with sample preparation. Complex matrices -faeces, meat rinse, soil, biofilm, wastewater - contain inhibitors and variable target loads. Effective nucleic acid extraction, inhibitor removal and consistent input volumes are prerequisites for sensitive, reproducible assays \[3\].

Workflow design affects data quality and scalability. Key considerations include:

- matrix-specific extraction methods that recover nucleic acids reliably across sample types.
- validated internal controls to detect extraction failure or PCR inhibition.
- standardised protocols that reduce operator variability.
- throughput requirements aligned with surveillance goals - batch-based extraction for high-volume screening, and flexible single-sample workflows for targeted investigations.
- documentation and traceability to support cross-sector data sharing.

Investment in extraction and preprocessing often yields greater gains than upgrading detection chemistry alone. Poor extraction undermines even the most specific assays; robust sample handling multiplies the value of molecular tests.

## 6.    What a practical One Health AMR workflow could look like

A One Health workflow must be modular and practical across contexts \[1\].

Food testing. Routine screening of carcass swabs or food-contact surfaces can use validated extraction kits designed for meat matrices, followed by multiplex PCR panels for common resistance genes and indicator organisms. Positive screens trigger targeted culture and whole-genome sequencing when needed for source attribution.

Veterinary screening. On-farm surveillance can combine pooled faecal swabs with simplified extraction workflows and field-deployable PCR instruments for rapid screening. Findings inform targeted stewardship interventions, drug-use audits and biosecurity measures.

Environmental surveillance. Wastewater and surface-water monitoring often require concentration steps and extraction methods that account for inhibitors. Molecular screening can detect selected resistance determinants in these samples and, when repeated within a defined sampling programme, contribute to assessments of their occurrence and changes over time. 

Clinical interface. Appropriately validated molecular assays for resistance determinants can contribute to earlier clinical assessment when results are interpreted alongside culture, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and patient context. When combined with upstream surveillance data, these findings can also help infection-control teams understand circulating resistance markers. 

Across these applications, interoperability matters. Using standardised controls, harmonised reporting formats and agreed interpretive criteria makes data from different sectors comparable and actionable.

## 7.    From data to action

Earlier diagnostic signals are only useful if they inform decisions. Practical ways molecular diagnostics support action include:

- Stewardship targeting: early detection of an emerging gene in a production system can prompt review of antimicrobial use and targeted interventions.
- risk-based sampling: molecular surveillance can guide where to invest limited culture and sequencing resources.
- outbreak containment: rapid genotypic screening can prioritise samples for confirmatory testing and contact tracing.
- supply-chain risk management: food processors can use results from appropriately validated screening workflows to investigate potential AMR risks and guide additional sampling or confirmatory testing.

policy and regulation: aggregated, standardised data support evidence-based regulation and public-health recommendations.

Crucially, diagnostic data should be presented with clear uncertainty bounds and interpretive guidance. Overconfident, decontextualised results erode trust and can lead to inappropriate actions.

## 8.    Conclusion

Effective AMR strategies must move beyond reactive, single-sector thinking. Diagnostics that detect resistance earlier, across diverse matrices, and with reproducible workflows are central to a realistic One Health response. Practical gains come from pairing sensitive molecular detection with dependable sample preparation, standardised controls and workflows designed for the sample types and throughput needs of each sector.

Diagnostics are not an end in themselves. They are a tool for stewardship, risk reduction and timely decision-making. Investing in the parts of the workflow that are often overlooked - extraction, inhibitor controls, and process standardization - yields clearer signals and more useful data for action.

Invitek Diagnostics has introduced the [InviScreen® AMR Gene Panel](https://www.invitek.com/amr-research/pdp-inviscreen-amr-gene-panel), a qualitative molecular assay designed to detect selected antimicrobial resistance-associated genes in purified DNA. Based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and running on the compact [InviDx®](https://www.invitek.com/amr-research/pdp-invidx-system) instrument, the panel provides results in approximately 45 minutes following DNA extraction.

The panel targets several resistance mechanisms of relevance to AMR research, including CTX-M β-lactamases, carbapenemases and genes associated with resistance to vancomycin and colistin. Designed for research involving DNA extracted from human, animal, food and environmental sources, it provides a common targeted molecular approach for investigations across [One Health settings](https://www.invitek.com/one-health-and-antimicrobial-resistance).

Within a defined surveillance programme, screening for selected resistance genes can help researchers investigate their occurrence across different sample sources and identify findings that warrant further investigation. Results must be interpreted in context: detecting a resistance gene does not establish phenotypic antimicrobial resistance, identify the organism carrying that gene in a mixed sample or demonstrate transmission between sectors. Negative results also cannot exclude resistance mechanisms outside the panel's targets.

The InviScreen® AMR Gene Panel is available for Research Use Only (RUO) and is not intended for clinical diagnostic procedures.

Explore the assay targets, specifications and potential research applications on the [InviScreen® AMR Gene Panel product page.](https://www.invitek.com/AMR-research/PDP-InviScreen-AMR-Gene-Panel)

## References

1\. World Health Organization. Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015. Available from: [https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/193736/9789241509763\_eng.pdf?sequence=1](https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/193736/9789241509763_eng.pdf?sequence=1).

2\.  Moehling TJ, Choi G, Dugan LC, Salit M, Meagher RJ. LAMP Diagnostics at the Point-of-Care: Emerging Trends and Perspectives for the Developer Community. *Expert Rev Mol Diagn.* 2021;21(1):43–61. doi:10.1080/14737159.2021.1873769. 

3\.  Sidstedt M, Rådström P, Hedman J. PCR inhibition in qPCR, dPCR and MPS—mechanisms and solutions. *Anal Bioanal Chem.* 2020;412(9):2009–2023. doi:10.1007/s00216-020-02490-2. 

4\.   World Health Assembly. Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance 2026–2036. Resolution WHA79(19). Geneva: World Health Organization; 2026. [https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf\_files/WHA79/A79\_(19)-en.pdf](https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA79/A79_(19)-en.pdf) 

5\.  World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Environment Programme, World Organisation for Animal Health. *Quadripartite guidance on One Health integrated surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and use.* Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025. ISBN: 978-92-4-010986-5. [https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2026/04/2025--quadripartite-guidelines-one-heath-amr-en.pdf](https://www.woah.org/app/uploads/2026/04/2025--quadripartite-guidelines-one-heath-amr-en.pdf) 

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