About NARMS

Tracking Trends in Resistance

The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System – Enteric Bacteria (NARMS) is a US public health surveillance system that tracks antimicrobial resistance in foodborne and other enteric bacteria.

NARMS is an interagency partnership among the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and state and local health departments. Human surveillance began in fourteen sites in 1996 and became nationwide in 2003.

NARMS monitors antimicrobial resistance among enteric bacteria from three sources:

• humans (CDC)
• retail meats (FDA)
• food animals (USDA)

Learn more about the roles of federal and state agencies who track antibacterial resistance in support of food safety.