Work

Sewers to Solutions: A Guide to Wastewater Pathogen Monitoring

Year: 2025

Type: review

Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is the analysis of wastewater to detect pathogen levels or activity for public health awareness or action. Pioneered in the 1940s, WBE underwent a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing important information about number of cases, outbreaks, and seasonal impact. With advancements in detection technologies and growing interest in environmental surveillance, WBE is poised to become a standard practice in public health monitoring. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of the art of pathogen WBE, including methods of molecular detection, analysis of wastewater data, real-world applications and programs, public health interventions, and benefits and challenges for the field.

Source: Annual Review of Medicine

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-med-062024-125121

Authors: Justin R. Clark, Anthony W. Maresso

Institution: Baylor College of Medicine

Language: English

Topic: SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention