2nd WES-LUXEMBOURG DAY

Wastewater and Environment Surveillance

 

Building on the success of the first edition, the 2^nd WES-Luxembourg Day will once again bring together experts and stakeholders to emphasize the crucial role of wastewater and environmental surveillance in safeguarding public health.

This year’s edition will focus particularly on the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), showcasing how wastewater and environmental surveillance can help detect and track resistance genes and resistant pathogens at both national and European levels. This topic is especially timely, given that the revised EU Directive 2024/3019 on urban wastewater treatment requires AMR surveillance in wastewater in urban areas with a population equivalent of over 100,000 (Article 17). Current efforts to tackle AMR through innovative surveillance strategies will be illustrated by national initiatives (such as “Plan national antibiotiques”) and European projects (such as EU-JAMRAI and EU-WISH).

In the afternoon, participants will have the opportunity to take part in a serious game designed to address the question of how countries can prepare for emerging pathogens and new epidemics. This interactive session offers a playful and engaging way to brainstorm, experiment with crisis scenarios, and explore how wastewater and environmental surveillance can support timely and effective responses. Participants will also discover an approach that could be adapted to other public health challenges in the future by testing this new form of communication and exchange.

Programme

08:30 – 09:00	Registration and welcome coffee
09:00 – 9:15	Opening event
	Overview of major ongoing activities related to AMR surveillance in wastewater and the environment in Luxembourg and Europe
09:15 -9:35	Presentation of the European Joint Action: JAMRAI - Amy Parrish
09:35 - 9:50	Presentation of the European Joint Action: EU-WISH - Veronik Hutse
09:50 - 10:10	Exploring the persistence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in and by the environment - Christophe Merlin & Xavier Bellanger
10:10 - 10:30	Presentation of AMR laboratory work in Belgium - Koenraad Van Hoorde
10:30 – 10:50	Coffee Break
10:50 - 11:10	Efforts to develop a method for monitoring antibiotic resistance in the environment at the French and European levels - Xavier Bellanger
11:10 - 12:00	Roundtable:  How, where and for what purpose should AMR be monitored in wastewater and the environment? Moderator: Henry-Michel Cauchie
	First insights into AMR genes in Luxembourg wastewater – Cécile Walczak
12:00 – 13:00	Lunch
13:00 – 14:30	WES-Detectives: A serious game to better prepare us for future epidemics
14:30 – 15:00	Closing remarks