This dissertation was written as part of the MSc in in Bioeconomy Law, Regulation and Management at the International Hellenic University. Antimicrobial resistant bacteria are of public health concern, since they can be biological hazards linked to increased human mortality and morbidity. Use of antimicrobials for control and treatment of infectious diseases in livestock and crops goes on due to considerations with respect to animal health and welfare, and also plant health. As a result, the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance by transfer of bacteria or genes from animals or plants to humans through the food chain is a public health issue of major concern. The dissemination of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and resistance genes to humans via food can follow several different routes and mechanisms, by foodborne spread of: i) resistant zoonotic bacteria, ii) resistant nonzoonotic human pathogenic bacteria and iii) commensal bacteria that exhibit resistance due to transferable antimicrobial resistance genes. Risk assessment is a scientific tool that its purpose is to provide risk managers with a rational and objective picture of what is known, or believed, at a particular time. Risk assessment can be quantitative or qualitative with the process being essentially similar since both procedures involve identification of the risk pathway, collection of data and risk evaluation. Qualitative risk assessment provides a rough estimate of risk, using definitions like high, medium and low risk and uses all relevant data (including numerical data) in order to reach a inference. The aim of this dissertation is to identify the principles of risk assessment for antimicrobial resistance occurring in the food pathway; to identify i) the qualitative risks, ii) the direct and indirect hazards, iii) the pathways of exposure; to summarize data in order to evaluate size of the hazard to which humans are exposed, and to assess the further consequences of resistance.
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