The global antimicrobial resistance surveillance market was valued at USD 5.78 billion in 2025. The market is estimated at USD 6.12 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 11.64 billion by 2036, at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period 2026-2036. This report provides a detailed assessment of the market, covering the global AMR burden and priority pathogens, testing and sequencing technologies, surveillance software and data standards, policy and funding, breakpoint and clearance rules, consolidation, pricing, the supplier landscape, and future growth opportunities.
The market covers the products, software, and services that laboratories use to find resistance in bacteria, fungi, and mycobacteria, work out the mechanism behind it, and turn results into surveillance data. This includes automated and manual susceptibility testing systems with their panels, cards, disks, strips, and media, rapid phenotypic systems, molecular assays for carbapenemase, ESBL, methicillin, and vancomycin resistance genes, mass spectrometry used within resistance workflows, whole-genome and metagenomic sequencing, surveillance software, and reference testing and industry-sponsored programs. Antimicrobial drugs, general identification products not used for resistance detection, infection prevention products, and antimicrobial use monitoring without resistance testing are excluded.
A September 2024 Lancet paper from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) project attributed 1.14 million deaths in 2021 directly to bacterial resistance, linked 4.71 million more to it, and warned that, without further action, resistance could directly cause about 39 million deaths from 2025 to 2050. According to the WHO Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025, roughly one in six bacterial infections confirmed by laboratories worldwide in 2023 did not respond to antibiotics, rising to about one in three in the South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions. In September 2025, the U.S. CDC reported a rise of more than 460% in NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE) infections in the U.S. between 2019 and 2023.
Tight budgets in hospital microbiology laboratories and public health agencies slow the replacement of older systems and the move to rapid and genomic methods; bioMérieux reported a lower midterm outlook of 3% to 6% annual organic sales growth for 2027 to 2028. Capacity is weakest where resistance is often highest. According to WHO, GLASS participation grew from 25 countries in 2016 to 104 in 2023, yet 48% of countries sent no data in 2023 and around half of those reporting lacked reliable data systems. Rapid AST has proved hard to commercialize, as shown by the Chapter 11 filing of Accelerate Diagnostics in May 2025 and the partial impairment bioMérieux booked on its VITEK REVEAL rapid AST technology in the first half of 2026, and differing methods, breakpoints, and data formats limit comparability.
Genomic surveillance with whole-genome sequencing is a significant opportunity, as it reveals resistance genes and mutations, links related isolates to expose transmission, and tracks high-risk clones. Faster phenotypic and molecular tests, One Health monitoring of livestock, food, and wastewater, and digital platforms that apply AI to laboratory data offer further openings. Key trends include genomics in national AMR programs, consolidation in microbiology and rapid AST, and closer attention to identifying carbapenemase types such as KPC, NDM, OXA-48, VIM, and IMP.
By offering, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into consumables & reagents, instruments, software & informatics, and services, with consumables split into panels and cards, disks and strips, culture media, and molecular reagents, and services split into reference testing and surveillance programs. Consumables & reagents are expected to hold the largest share in 2026, as they are used up with each isolate a laboratory tests and create steady repeat purchasing; bioMérieux reported that reagent sales drove 4.3% organic growth in its clinical microbiology business in the first half of 2026. Software & informatics is projected to record the highest CAGR, as laboratories must standardize and report data to national systems and GLASS, combine genomic and clinical records, and use AI analytics for stewardship and outbreak detection. Services are also expected to grow strongly as agencies and drug developers widen surveillance programs.
By method, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular resistance detection, sequencing-based resistance surveillance, and mass spectrometry-based methods. Phenotypic AST, which includes automated, manual, and rapid methods, leads in 2026 because it drives treatment decisions, serves as the reference method, and has a large installed base. Sequencing-based resistance surveillance is set to grow the fastest, supported by cheaper whole-genome sequencing, its ability to identify genes and trace transmission, and its growing role in national programs. Molecular resistance detection should also grow strongly as carbapenemase producers spread.
By pathogen type, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi. Gram-negative bacteria account for the largest share in 2026, reflecting high and rising resistance, including to carbapenems, in E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their place at the top of priority pathogen lists. Fungi are projected to record the highest CAGR, driven by drug-resistant species such as Candida auris and azole-resistant Aspergillus and wider recognition that antifungal testing is needed. Mycobacteria are expected to grow strongly on drug-resistant tuberculosis surveillance.
By surveillance setting, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into clinical & hospital surveillance, public health & national surveillance, industry-sponsored surveillance, and One Health surveillance (animal health, food safety, and environmental & wastewater surveillance). Clinical & hospital surveillance leads in 2026, as most resistance testing is done in hospital laboratories to guide therapy, infection control, and stewardship. One Health surveillance is set to grow the fastest, as countries extend monitoring to livestock, food, and wastewater and recognize how resistance moves between people, animals, and the environment. Public health surveillance should also expand under the UN declaration and the 2030 GLASS goal.
By end user, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into hospitals & clinical laboratories, reference laboratories, public health laboratories & government agencies, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and veterinary, food & environmental laboratories. Hospitals & clinical laboratories hold the largest share in 2026, given the large volume of susceptibility testing done for patient care. Public health laboratories & government agencies are projected to grow the fastest, supported by investment in national and genomic surveillance and in reference testing for threats such as NDM-CRE, which many hospital laboratories cannot test for.
North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global antimicrobial resistance surveillance market in 2026, supported by high testing volumes, wide use of automated and molecular resistance testing, strict stewardship requirements, a national public health laboratory network, and suppliers such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Danaher, Waters, Bruker, and Illumina. Canada adds demand through national AMR programs. Europe holds a significant share, backed by surveillance that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) coordinates, well-established reference laboratories, and suppliers such as bioMérieux in France, while southern and eastern European countries with high carbapenem resistance add demand for resistance detection.
Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, driven by a heavy resistance burden, growing hospital microbiology capacity, national AMR action plans, and investment in genomic capacity. China and India are expected to be the largest markets in the region, while Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Southeast Asia are expected to grow strongly. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa account for smaller shares but should grow strongly with support from international funding; according to WHO, more than 70% of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in the African Region resisted third-generation cephalosporins. Within Latin America, the largest country markets are Brazil and Mexico.
A few large clinical microbiology companies hold a significant part of phenotypic AST and identification in the moderately consolidated antimicrobial resistance surveillance market, alongside molecular diagnostics firms, sequencing suppliers such as Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, rapid AST developers, software vendors, and service providers. Competition turns on panel accuracy and breadth, time to result, automation, timely clearance of new antibiotics and breakpoints, genomic capability, connectivity, and worldwide service. Leading players are adding new antibiotics to panels, building rapid tests, linking identification with susceptibility testing, and supporting genomic surveillance. Recent deals include AST Revolution's purchase of the Accelerate Diagnostics WAVE and Arc assets in August 2025, Bruker's acquisition of AST Revolution in November 2025, which pairs rapid AST with its MALDI Biotyper range, and the February 2026 combination of Waters with BD's Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions businesses.
Key companies profiled in the report include bioMérieux SA (France), Waters Corporation (BD Diagnostic Solutions) (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Danaher Corporation (Beckman Coulter and Cepheid) (U.S.), Bruker Corporation (U.S.), QIAGEN N.V. (Netherlands), Illumina, Inc. (U.S.), and Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (U.K.).
The market covers the products, software, and services that laboratories use to find resistance in bacteria, fungi, and mycobacteria, work out the mechanism behind it, and turn results into surveillance data. This includes automated and manual susceptibility testing systems with their panels, cards, disks, strips, and media, rapid phenotypic systems, molecular assays for carbapenemase, ESBL, methicillin, and vancomycin resistance genes, mass spectrometry used within resistance workflows, whole-genome and metagenomic sequencing, surveillance software, and reference testing and industry-sponsored programs. Antimicrobial drugs, general identification products not used for resistance detection, infection prevention products, and antimicrobial use monitoring without resistance testing are excluded.
A September 2024 Lancet paper from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) project attributed 1.14 million deaths in 2021 directly to bacterial resistance, linked 4.71 million more to it, and warned that, without further action, resistance could directly cause about 39 million deaths from 2025 to 2050. According to the WHO Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025, roughly one in six bacterial infections confirmed by laboratories worldwide in 2023 did not respond to antibiotics, rising to about one in three in the South-East Asia and Eastern Mediterranean regions. In September 2025, the U.S. CDC reported a rise of more than 460% in NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (NDM-CRE) infections in the U.S. between 2019 and 2023.
Market Dynamics
Growth of the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market rests on the rising burden of resistance, which makes clinicians depend on susceptibility results to choose therapy and pushes public health agencies to track trends and update guidelines. The September 2024 UN General Assembly political declaration commits countries to cut deaths associated with bacterial AMR by 10% by 2030 from a 2019 baseline of 4.95 million and to strengthen national surveillance, and WHO wants every country reporting quality data to GLASS by 2030. Multidrug-resistant and carbapenem-resistant organisms add demand for carbapenemase tests and sequencing, because new antibiotics work against some carbapenemase types but not others. Stewardship programs, now required by many accreditation bodies, also need timely susceptibility data.Tight budgets in hospital microbiology laboratories and public health agencies slow the replacement of older systems and the move to rapid and genomic methods; bioMérieux reported a lower midterm outlook of 3% to 6% annual organic sales growth for 2027 to 2028. Capacity is weakest where resistance is often highest. According to WHO, GLASS participation grew from 25 countries in 2016 to 104 in 2023, yet 48% of countries sent no data in 2023 and around half of those reporting lacked reliable data systems. Rapid AST has proved hard to commercialize, as shown by the Chapter 11 filing of Accelerate Diagnostics in May 2025 and the partial impairment bioMérieux booked on its VITEK REVEAL rapid AST technology in the first half of 2026, and differing methods, breakpoints, and data formats limit comparability.
Genomic surveillance with whole-genome sequencing is a significant opportunity, as it reveals resistance genes and mutations, links related isolates to expose transmission, and tracks high-risk clones. Faster phenotypic and molecular tests, One Health monitoring of livestock, food, and wastewater, and digital platforms that apply AI to laboratory data offer further openings. Key trends include genomics in national AMR programs, consolidation in microbiology and rapid AST, and closer attention to identifying carbapenemase types such as KPC, NDM, OXA-48, VIM, and IMP.
Segment Analysis
The report analyzes the market by offering, method, pathogen type, surveillance setting, end user, and geography, helping stakeholders identify the most attractive growth areas.By offering, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into consumables & reagents, instruments, software & informatics, and services, with consumables split into panels and cards, disks and strips, culture media, and molecular reagents, and services split into reference testing and surveillance programs. Consumables & reagents are expected to hold the largest share in 2026, as they are used up with each isolate a laboratory tests and create steady repeat purchasing; bioMérieux reported that reagent sales drove 4.3% organic growth in its clinical microbiology business in the first half of 2026. Software & informatics is projected to record the highest CAGR, as laboratories must standardize and report data to national systems and GLASS, combine genomic and clinical records, and use AI analytics for stewardship and outbreak detection. Services are also expected to grow strongly as agencies and drug developers widen surveillance programs.
By method, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular resistance detection, sequencing-based resistance surveillance, and mass spectrometry-based methods. Phenotypic AST, which includes automated, manual, and rapid methods, leads in 2026 because it drives treatment decisions, serves as the reference method, and has a large installed base. Sequencing-based resistance surveillance is set to grow the fastest, supported by cheaper whole-genome sequencing, its ability to identify genes and trace transmission, and its growing role in national programs. Molecular resistance detection should also grow strongly as carbapenemase producers spread.
By pathogen type, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi. Gram-negative bacteria account for the largest share in 2026, reflecting high and rising resistance, including to carbapenems, in E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their place at the top of priority pathogen lists. Fungi are projected to record the highest CAGR, driven by drug-resistant species such as Candida auris and azole-resistant Aspergillus and wider recognition that antifungal testing is needed. Mycobacteria are expected to grow strongly on drug-resistant tuberculosis surveillance.
By surveillance setting, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into clinical & hospital surveillance, public health & national surveillance, industry-sponsored surveillance, and One Health surveillance (animal health, food safety, and environmental & wastewater surveillance). Clinical & hospital surveillance leads in 2026, as most resistance testing is done in hospital laboratories to guide therapy, infection control, and stewardship. One Health surveillance is set to grow the fastest, as countries extend monitoring to livestock, food, and wastewater and recognize how resistance moves between people, animals, and the environment. Public health surveillance should also expand under the UN declaration and the 2030 GLASS goal.
By end user, the antimicrobial resistance surveillance market is segmented into hospitals & clinical laboratories, reference laboratories, public health laboratories & government agencies, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, and veterinary, food & environmental laboratories. Hospitals & clinical laboratories hold the largest share in 2026, given the large volume of susceptibility testing done for patient care. Public health laboratories & government agencies are projected to grow the fastest, supported by investment in national and genomic surveillance and in reference testing for threats such as NDM-CRE, which many hospital laboratories cannot test for.
Regional Analysis
The report covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa, spanning 19 countries, Southeast Asia, and four rest-of-region groups. The regional analysis considers resistance burden, testing volumes, stewardship and surveillance policy, laboratory capacity, funding, and the presence of diagnostics companies.North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global antimicrobial resistance surveillance market in 2026, supported by high testing volumes, wide use of automated and molecular resistance testing, strict stewardship requirements, a national public health laboratory network, and suppliers such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Danaher, Waters, Bruker, and Illumina. Canada adds demand through national AMR programs. Europe holds a significant share, backed by surveillance that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) coordinates, well-established reference laboratories, and suppliers such as bioMérieux in France, while southern and eastern European countries with high carbapenem resistance add demand for resistance detection.
Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR, driven by a heavy resistance burden, growing hospital microbiology capacity, national AMR action plans, and investment in genomic capacity. China and India are expected to be the largest markets in the region, while Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Southeast Asia are expected to grow strongly. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa account for smaller shares but should grow strongly with support from international funding; according to WHO, more than 70% of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in the African Region resisted third-generation cephalosporins. Within Latin America, the largest country markets are Brazil and Mexico.
Competitive Landscape
The report provides a detailed review of the competitive landscape, covering key growth strategies, competitive benchmarking, the competitive dashboard, and market share/rank analysis by key player for 2025. Company profiles include business and financial overviews, AMR surveillance portfolios, product portfolios, strategic developments, and SWOT analyses.A few large clinical microbiology companies hold a significant part of phenotypic AST and identification in the moderately consolidated antimicrobial resistance surveillance market, alongside molecular diagnostics firms, sequencing suppliers such as Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, rapid AST developers, software vendors, and service providers. Competition turns on panel accuracy and breadth, time to result, automation, timely clearance of new antibiotics and breakpoints, genomic capability, connectivity, and worldwide service. Leading players are adding new antibiotics to panels, building rapid tests, linking identification with susceptibility testing, and supporting genomic surveillance. Recent deals include AST Revolution's purchase of the Accelerate Diagnostics WAVE and Arc assets in August 2025, Bruker's acquisition of AST Revolution in November 2025, which pairs rapid AST with its MALDI Biotyper range, and the February 2026 combination of Waters with BD's Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions businesses.
Key companies profiled in the report include bioMérieux SA (France), Waters Corporation (BD Diagnostic Solutions) (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Danaher Corporation (Beckman Coulter and Cepheid) (U.S.), Bruker Corporation (U.S.), QIAGEN N.V. (Netherlands), Illumina, Inc. (U.S.), and Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc (U.K.).
How This Report Helps
- Provides reliable market size estimates and long-term forecasts for the global antimicrobial resistance surveillance market.
- Explains how the AMR burden, UN and WHO commitments, and carbapenem resistance shape demand for testing and surveillance.
- Assesses the impact of laboratory budgets, limited capacity in lower-income countries, and slow uptake of rapid AST.
- Identifies high-growth opportunities across offering, method, pathogen type, surveillance setting, end user, and region.
- Tracks genomic surveillance, rapid testing, One Health monitoring, and AI-enabled surveillance software.
- Benchmarks leading companies by portfolio, technology, regulatory clearances, and strategic developments.
- Supports product planning, partnering, and market entry decisions for diagnostics companies and investors.
Key Questions Answered
- How big is the global antimicrobial resistance surveillance market today, and how will it grow through 2036?
- What are the main drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and trends shaping the market?
- How are the UN political declaration and WHO GLASS targets affecting surveillance investment?
- How is the spread of NDM-CRE and other carbapenemase producers changing testing needs?
- Which offering, method, pathogen type, surveillance setting, and end-user segments will grow the fastest?
- How quickly will whole-genome sequencing become part of routine national AMR surveillance?
- Why has rapid AST been difficult to commercialize, and what does consolidation mean for suppliers?
- Which regions and countries offer the most attractive business opportunities?
- Who are the leading companies in the market, and how do they compare on portfolio and technology?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Research Methodology
4. Market Overview
5. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Market, by Offering
6. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Market, by Method
7. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Market, by Pathogen Type
8. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Market, by Surveillance Setting
9. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Market, by End User
10. Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Market, by Geography
11. Competitive Landscape
12. Company Profiles
13. Appendix
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
Companies Mentioned
- bioMérieux SA
- Waters Corporation
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
- Danaher Corporation
- Bruker Corporation
- QIAGEN N.V.
- Illumina, Inc.
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc
