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Abstract
In 2025, wastewater surveillance continued to demonstrate its value as a complementary public health tool in Belgium. Beyond its established role in monitoring respiratory viruses and poliovirus, the programme expanded to new targets, including psychoactive substances, while supporting research, European collaboration, and preparedness for emerging public health threats. The national wastewater surveillance programme continued to provide valuable information on the circulation of SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV across Belgium. Methodological improvements increased the sensitivity and geographical resolution of influenza and RSV monitoring. In addition, wastewater surveillance supported the national monitoring of poliovirus and contributed to maintaining preparedness against vaccine-preventable diseases. Several initiatives explored the added value of wastewater surveillance beyond respiratory viruses. A pilot study successfully detected measles virus in Belgian wastewater and showed trends comparable to clinical surveillance. National monitoring of psychoactive substances was carried out across all Belgian regions, while research projects investigated antimicrobial resistance, enteric viruses, climate-linked pathogens and livestock contributions to wastewater. Belgium continued to contribute actively to European wastewater surveillance initiatives through EU-WISH, the European Super-Sites network and international collaborations. The development of a wastewater repository, harmonised methodologies and preparedness plans strengthens the country's capacity to respond rapidly to future public health threats and supports the integration of wastewater surveillance into routine public health practice.
Description
Date
2026-06-15
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sciensano
Chapter title
Publication type
Sci. report, recommendat°, guidance doc., directive, monograph
Collections
Scientific reports, recommendations, guidance documents, directives, monographs
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Files
Thumbnail Image
yearly_report_2025_1.pdf
Adobe PDF, 2.48 MB
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
AMR, applied genomics, Climate change, environment, epidemiology, illicit drugs, One Health, Surveillance, wastewater, wastewater surveillance, wastewater-based epidemiology
Citation
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14493/12843
Topic(s)
Acute poliomyelitis #22433#
Acute respiratory infection #22244#
Antimicrobial resistance #22663#
Coronavirus #22355#
Disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) #22545#
Flu and other acute respiratory tract infections #22243#
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) #22437#
Illicit drug use #22104#
Illicit drugs #363#
Influenza #22509#
Monitoring drugs and drug addiction #22152#
Norovirus #22415#
One Health #11733#
Rotavirus #22441#
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) #22356#
Viral hepatitis, type A #22370#
Wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance #22654#
Related project
Wastewater #1000706#
WWSURV #1000522#
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