Systematic data collection on antibiotic resistance can now be carried out by healthcare institutions providing specialized or highly specialized medical care, as well as independent bacteriological laboratories. This is stated in Order No. 1766 of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated August 19, 2021, "On Approval of the Procedure for Sentinel Epidemiological Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance."

Blood samples from patients with signs of sepsis and cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with signs of meningitis will be analyzed. Invasive pathogens of clinical significance and public health importance will be monitored, namely: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp ., Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter spp. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing will be performed in accordance with the recommendations of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST).

The implementation of a surveillance system allows for the collection of reliable information on the spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens both within a specific healthcare system and across the country. This, in turn, enables the national assessment of dynamic data and the adoption of the most effective solutions to combat antimicrobial resistance, including the development of rational approaches to treating infectious diseases.

All data collected in Ukraine will be integrated into the Central Asia and Europe Surveillance System for Antimicrobial Resistance (CAESAR) and the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS).

According to the order, laboratories must meet the following basic requirements to carry out epidemiological surveillance:

- the presence of a functioning quality management system in the laboratory (certificate of conformity to DSTU ISO 9001:2015 or others);

- compliance with safety requirements for working with pathogens of the 3rd-4th pathogenicity groups;

- use in current work of standard operating procedures based on current versions of the EUCAST methodology for determining the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics, interpreting susceptibility values, determining resistance mechanisms, and ongoing and extended quality control;

- annual participation in external quality control of research;

- use in current WHONET work.

To join the sentinel surveillance system for antibiotic resistance, you must submit an application to the Public Health Center by filling out the form at the link: https://laboratories.phc.org.ua/lab/registration.php .

It's worth noting that the rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains requires the active development and use of alternative antimicrobial agents. Bacteriophages, the natural enemies of bacteria, occupy a prominent place among these.