The measles virus has been detected in sewage water in Brussels, researchers from the Rega Institute (KU Leuven) announced on social media.
The research team started taking sewage water samples after the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Control) sent out a warning to all European countries on 16 February that the measles virus was on the rise again across the continent.
"We have been doing sewage research for 3 years, so we got started right away," said Elke Wollants, lab manager at the Rega Institute. "We examined sewage from Leuven, Brussels-South and Brussels-North. The results from Leuven and Brussels-South remained negative."
In Brussels-North, however, the measles virus was found in three consecutive samples. "We established is that the presence of the measles virus in sewage water is not a result of vaccinations with the measles virus, but that it is a natural infection," she said.
Translation: 'Our KUL study of sewage water from Brussels shows the presence of the measles virus genotype D8. So there are measles infections in Brussels. This is a highly contagious virus and can cause serious complications. Vaccination is the best protection against this disease!'
The presence of the virus in sewage water indicates an advance in Brussels. Via data from the Sciensano National Health Institute, the institute was aware of six positive cases in Brussels already. "Now, if we find the measles virus in the sewage water of a city with a million inhabitants, there will be several infections that have remained under the radar."
In Belgium, only the polio vaccine is mandatory – the measles vaccine is not. And as with Covid-19, the vaccination rate in Brussels and Wallonia is lower than in Flanders. "In Flanders, it is 89%, in Brussels and Wallonia the vaccination rate is 75%. It is therefore not inconceivable that measles could be circulating there."
Therefore, the researchers want to warn people and call on them to get their children vaccinated against the disease. "Vaccination is really important, because it is the only way to protect yourself against the virus," said Wollants.
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According to the ECDC, six people have already died from the measles virus in Romania in 2024, and one person died from the virus in Ireland.
"It is a contagious virus that can lead to serious complications. Again, vaccination is the message," said Wollants, adding that both Sciensano and Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) have been informed about the findings of the investigation.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and try to discover where the measles virus occurs," she said. "Then it will be important to vaccinate as much as possible in those regions."
