Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria (often referred to as antibiotic resistance) is one of the major public health challenges of our time. AMR can be described as the ability of a bacterium to withstand the effects of an antimicrobial agent. In addition to antimicrobial agents used for treatment and prophylaxis in humans, animals, and plants, chemical susbtances, such as biocides and heavy metals, may also induce resistance in bacteria against antimicrobial agents used in human and

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... nary medicine. In June 2016, the Norwegian Environment Agency requested the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) to conduct a literature review regarding development of bacterial resistance to biocides and heavy metals and cross-resistance to antimicrobial agents (e.g., antibiotics) in bacteria, with the following mandate: 1. List chemical substances that may contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance. 2. Describe the substances listed in question 1 that are used/in use in Norway and assess which fields of applications that have the potential to contribute to increased resistance. 3. Range the substances according to field of application that is assumed to have the strongest effect on development of resistance, based on characteristics and amount used. 4. Identify knowledge gaps according to the effect of these substances on development of resistance. In order to answer the mandate, VKM appointed a working group consisting of two members of the Panel on Microbial Ecology, and one external expert, to prepare a draft opinion document and answer the questions. The Panel on Microbial Ecology has reviewed and revised the draft prepared by the working group and approved the opinion document "Antimicrobial resistance due to the use of biocides and heavy metals: a literature review". A biocide is defined as an active chemical molecule that controls the growth of, or kills, bacteria and other microorganisms in a biocidal product. The biocides are classified into 4 main groups according to their [...]