For a full picture of antimicrobial use and resistance in Belgium, explore the BELMAP platform. It brings together national data from humans, animals, food and the environment, with expert analysis, monitoring program links, and recommendations to strengthen surveillance. You can also access the full report for more in-depth information.
Antimicrobials are medicines used to kill or stop the growth of microorganisms that cause infections. They include antibiotics (against bacteria), antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms become resistant to these medicines, either naturally or through acquired resistance after repeated or inappropriate exposure (e.g. using antibiotics to treat viral infections).
This growing resistance is driven by:
- Overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans and animals,
- The spread of resistant strains between people, animals, and the environment.
A lack of new treatment options exacerbates the impact of growing resistance with serious consequences: ineffective treatments, longer infections, longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality. Fighting AMR is a global priority. It requires responsible use of antimicrobials, effective infection prevention, and continued investment in research and innovation.
Belgium tackles AMR through a One Health approach, recognising the link between human, animal, and environmental health. Key players include:
- Sciensano: national surveillance, research, and guidance,
- FPS Health: coordination of antibiotic policy,
- AMCRA and the Belgian Antibiotic Policy Coordination Committee (BAPCOC): veterinary antimicrobial use and awareness,
- And collaboration with European partners such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Definitions
- One Health
- One Health stands for the pursuit of an holistic approach (which considers the whole and not at the sum of the different parts from which something is constructed) to health research in humans, animals, their environment and/or society by studying the interactions between these elements and their effect on health.
Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Communicable Diseases: Antimicrobial resistance, Health Status Report, 02 Sep 2025, Brussels, Belgium, https://www.healthybelgium.be/en/health-status/communicable-diseases/antimicrobial-resistance