Knowledge Exchange by ISID

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat that undermines the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapies and poses significant challenges to infectious disease control. While clinical surveillance remains essential, it provides limited insight into the wider circulation of antimicrobial-resistant organisms and resistance determinants within communities and the environment.

Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES) has emerged as an innovative One Health approach to complement existing AMR surveillance systems. By analyzing wastewater and environmental samples using molecular diagnostics, genomic sequencing, and bioinformatics, WES can provide population-level insights, early warning signals, and valuable information on pathogen circulation and antimicrobial resistance trends. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the value of wastewater surveillance for monitoring infectious disease threats. Building on this experience, countries are now exploring the application of WES for AMR surveillance, outbreak preparedness, and strengthening global health security.

This ISID webinar will highlight experiences from Pakistan and Bangladesh, showcasing how WES can contribute to AMR control and support integrated One Health surveillance approaches in low- and middle-income country settings.

The webinar aims to:

• Highlight the role of WES in strengthening AMR surveillance and response.
• Share practical implementation experiences from South Asia and Africa.
• Discuss the integration of environmental surveillance, genomics, and public health decision-making.
• Explore opportunities and challenges for sustainable WES implementation.