Update #1
October 2015
The Baltic Antibiotic Resistance collaborative Network (BARN) creates possibilities for
collaboration between practitioners who are concerned with antimicrobial resistance
and who work in areas such as infection prevention and control, microbiology, primary
health care, public health and clinical specialties. BARN promotes projects with handson implications in everyday practice based on policies and strategies declared by the
high level initiatives “from declarations to action”.
BARN Sub-Projects
Three BARN sub-projects that have ended are Baltic ESBL Epidemiology Project, Hand
Hygiene Project and Happy Audit 2. In the ESBL-project, the aim was to improve detection and
surveillance of resistance caused by extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) in
Enterobacteriaceae in the Baltic region. 21 laboratories collected and tested more than 1,000
ESBL strains, using the same protocol. In the Hand Hygiene Project, members from four
countries worked together to adapt WHO guidance on hand hygiene. In the Happy Audit 2
project, 244 General Practitioners each registered 50–100 consultations for acute respiratory
infections. The total amount of consultations were more than 12,000.
Project reports and interviews with the project coordinators Dr Marina Ivanova, Dr Olov
Aspevall and Dr Ingvar Ovhed are available on the BARN website. The Hand Hygiene and the
ESBL reports are in Swedish, while the Happy Audit report is available in English and Russian.
All interviews are in English.
The sub-project Collaboration in Infection Control to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance and
Hospital Infections will have three meetings in Riga during the project period. The first meeting
was held in the beginning of September this year. The project focuses on implementing bundles
to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
Network Meeting in Riga 6-8 May 2015
The program of the 5th BARN network meeting held in Riga in May included presentations
from the member countries and up-dates from six sub-projects. We also had in-depth group
discussions on the future of BARN, where the participants discussed issues such as new subprojects, communication within the network and the role of BARN on the global arena. All
presentations and other material from the meeting is available on the BARN members only
website.
Some of the participants at the network meeting in Riga, May 2015.
During the meeting, we conducted a short survey on the BARN network among the participants.
The results of the survey showed that members think that the network focuses on relevant issues
and that it is useful for their work. The participants were also very positive to working together
in sub-projects. Here is an example of one of questions we asked (Grades 1 – 5 where 5 is the
best grade; n=26).
BARN is useful for my work
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1
2
3
4
Weekly scan on news and publications related to ABR
5
Each week, the Public Health Agency of Sweden compiles an email in English with the latest
news items and scientific publications related to antibiotic resistance and infection control.
Below you may see a snapshot of what this compilation looks like. Please contact BARN if you
wish to subscribe to this email.
A snapshot of the weekly ABR-scan from the Public Health Agency of Sweden
About BARN
BARN was founded in 2010 as a joint initiative by national and regional actors under the
leadership of the Swedish Ministry of Social Affairs. Funding is currently granted until July
2016 by the Swedish government through the Swedish Institute (SI). A great part of the work is
done as in kind and by voluntary support.
Web: www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/barn
Contact: barn@folkhalsomyndigheten.se