The primary aim of the Northern Dimension Antibiotic Resistance Study (NoDARS) project was to gain new knowledge regarding resistance levels in uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) that normally are not subjected to microbiological analysis; to look for specific resistance determinants in the normal flora of healthy individuals and use these results to assess and improve existing guidelines for antibiotic treatment of uncomplicated UTIs as well as to evaluate existing AMR-strategies in the countries that participated in the study.

The project provided new useful information on the levels of antibiotic resistance in the countries participating in the project (Finland, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Sweden). NoDARS provided large and unique collections of E.coli isolates from uncomplicated UTIs that gave new insight into the resistance in one of the most under-sampled but at the same time common infections worldwide. The data also represents populations that are not normally included in surveillance of AMR, which contributes to raising the impact and interest in these groups. A major strength of the NoDARS project was the involvement of countries with different antimicrobial resistance situations, health care system organization and antimicrobial stewardship policies. Especially the perspective of Russia is important and often lacking in similar studies.