Surveillance in Environmental Health
EARS-Env Network
The Joint Action is promoting the setting up of the environmental AMR surveillance network to:
- Collect information from countries on existing environmental surveillance and its goals and indicators.
- Pilot common environmental surveillance across countries.
- Conduct a scoping study on the use of disinfectants and fungicides in healthcare, animal settings, agriculture, treated wood, and cosmetics.
Inventory of existing surveillance of AMR in the environment
Two questionnaires on surveillance were developed and sent out to a broad target audience. The first questionnaire focuses on collecting information on existing surveillance, whereas the second one focuses on what type of surveillance we want in the future. The questionnaire responses will be used to develop strategies and objectives for the Ears-Env surveillance program and will be tested in a pilot study across countries.
Alignment with other sectors and initiatives at different levels
Several other initiatives that target environmental surveillance are ongoing, to which EUJAMRAI 2 have established links and collaborations:
- The Joint Action EU-WISH
- Eionet and the quadripartite integrated surveillance
- The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
In addition, activities have been initiated to receive input from the human and animal health sectors on indicators that they would like to include in environmental surveillance.