| Content | |
|---|---|
| Description | Database focused on documentation of eight bacterial pathogens in the EU. |
| Data types captured | Antimicrobial resistance |
| Organisms | Bacteria |
| Access | |
| Website | www |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Bookmarkable entities | yes |
EARS-Net otherwise known asEuropeanAntimicrobialResistanceSurveillanceNetwork is a central and comprehensivedatabase for theEuropean Union that focuses on eight differentbacterial pathogens.[1]
EARS-Net tracks resistance rates reported in routine clinical antimicrobial susceptibility data from local and clinical laboratories, gathered by national surveillance programs and laboratory networks. Resistance status is determined according toEUCAST guidelines. Only data from invasive isolates (blood and cerebrospinal fluid) are included in EARS-Net.[2] The antibiotics for which resistance is tracked varies by species, and is based onEUCAST recommendations. Resistance data is collected for these eight pathogens only:[citation needed]
Several factors can affect the reliability of inter-country comparisons of resistance rates, due to differences in data quality and biased introduced during data collection and reporting. Several identified by EARS-Net[2] are:
EARS-Net is the collaborative effort of 29 countries. The information documented areantibiotic resistance which are determined according to theEUCAST standard.[1] Around 80% of the participants utilize the EUCAST standard for detection of antibiotic resistance.[1] EARS-Net was established in 1998 as EARSS, funded by the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs and the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports.[1] However, in January 2010, it was transferred to theEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) where it was renamed EARS-Net.[1]