EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEALTH DATA INSIGHTS
Review Article
Mar 03, 2026 3 1

Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review

Patience Osarugue Osariemen 1,
Ikemefula Oriaku 2 * ,
Oyinlade Cecilia Ogundare 3,
Olubukola Esther Ogundijo 4,
Simeon Kolawole Odetunde 5,
Victor Nkwachukwu Oduogu 6,
Ogechi Nwabueze 7
1 Research Scholar, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria 2 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria3 Department of Chemical Sciences, College of Basic Science, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, Nigeria 4 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria5 Department of Biological Sciences Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, Nigeria 6 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria 7 Department of Ophthalmology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria* Corresponding Author
Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 2(2), 2026, ehdi031, https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033
Publication date: Mar 03, 2026
Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an escalating threat to global public health, undermining the effectiveness of infectious disease prevention and treatment and placing sustained pressure on health systems worldwide. Advances in genomic technologies, including whole-genome sequencing and metagenomic analyses, have substantially enhanced the resolution and scope of AMR surveillance. However, despite growing investments in genomic surveillance, the routine translation of genomic data into public health policy and action remains limited. This review examines the persistent data-to-decision (D2D) gap that constrains the public health impact of genomic AMR surveillance. Using a narrative review approach, the literature on genomic AMR surveillance, public health surveillance systems, and decision-making frameworks was synthesized to assess how genomic data are generated, interpreted, and operationalized within public health systems. The review integrates evidence from international and national surveillance initiatives, policy analyses, and implementation studies, with particular attention to organizational, analytical, and governance factors influencing data use. Findings indicate that while genomic surveillance offers high potential for early detection of resistance, transmission tracking, and proactive intervention, its public health utility is frequently limited by insufficient integration with decision-making structures, lack of standardized reporting and interpretation frameworks, and unclear action thresholds. The review highlights emerging best practices, including standardized translational reporting, decision-support tools, predefined genomic action triggers, and multidisciplinary collaboration, as critical mechanisms for closing the D2D gap. Persistent inequities in access to genomic surveillance capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, further underscore the need for governance models that prioritize sustainability, local ownership, and equitable capacity building. Overall, this review argues that realizing the full public health value of genomic AMR surveillance requires moving beyond technological advancement toward intentional systems-level integration that aligns genomic intelligence with timely, evidence-informed public health decision-making.

KEYWORDS

Antimicrobial Resistance Genomic Epidemiology Public Health Policy Surveillance Systems Translational Genomics Data-To-Decision Gap Genomic Surveillance Systems

CITATION (Vancouver)

Osariemen PO, Oriaku I, Ogundare OC, Ogundijo OE, Odetunde SK, Oduogu VN, et al. Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights. 2026;2(2):ehdi031. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033
APA
Osariemen, P. O., Oriaku, I., Ogundare, O. C., Ogundijo, O. E., Odetunde, S. K., Oduogu, V. N., & Nwabueze, O. (2026). Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 2(2), ehdi031. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033
Harvard
Osariemen, P. O., Oriaku, I., Ogundare, O. C., Ogundijo, O. E., Odetunde, S. K., Oduogu, V. N., and Nwabueze, O. (2026). Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, 2(2), ehdi031. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033
AMA
Osariemen PO, Oriaku I, Ogundare OC, et al. Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review. Epidemiology and Health Data Insights. 2026;2(2), ehdi031. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033
Chicago
Osariemen, Patience Osarugue, Ikemefula Oriaku, Oyinlade Cecilia Ogundare, Olubukola Esther Ogundijo, Simeon Kolawole Odetunde, Victor Nkwachukwu Oduogu, and Ogechi Nwabueze. "Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review". Epidemiology and Health Data Insights 2026 2 no. 2 (2026): ehdi031. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033
MLA
Osariemen, Patience Osarugue et al. "Bridging the Gap Between Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Public Health Decision-Making: A Review". Epidemiology and Health Data Insights, vol. 2, no. 2, 2026, ehdi031. https://doi.org/10.63946/ehdi/18033

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