The recent resurgence of measles in the United States marks a troubling milestone, with the first case reported in Texas last year triggering an outbreak that has since spread across several states. As of January, the U.S. has tallied over 500 confirmed cases, with three fatalities reported. Diminishing vaccination rates have spurred researchers to explore innovative methods for detecting and controlling measles outbreaks, one of which is wastewater surveillance. This technique involves analyzing wastewater—which contains various biological materials—to identify the presence of pathogens like the measles virus.
Historically, wastewater analysis gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping scientists monitor the virus’s spread. Now, researchers are applying similar methodologies to measles tracking. A collaborative effort led by Marlene Wolfe from Emory University and Alexandria Boehm from Stanford University has initiated WastewaterSCAN, a program designed to analyze wastewater samples nationwide. Wolfe emphasizes the potential of this approach, highlighting that viruses, including measles, can be shed in urine, providing an opportunity to detect outbreaks even in communities with limited healthcare access. Preliminary results have shown promise; trials conducted at wastewater treatment facilities in Texas revealed measles RNA in samples collected prior to the official confirmation of local cases, suggesting that wastewater surveillance could serve as an early warning system for public health officials.
Further advancements in this field are being made in Canada, where researchers from the University of Windsor have also been testing wastewater samples for measles RNA. Their work indicates that the actual number of measles cases could be significantly higher than reported figures, with estimates suggesting that true cases might be five to ten times greater than what clinical diagnostics reveal. While wastewater surveillance has its limitations, such as the inability to pinpoint exact locations of infections or identify individual patients, it has already proven beneficial in informing public health responses. Health departments have utilized this data to issue alerts and enhance vaccination campaigns, illustrating the growing importance of wastewater surveillance in combating infectious diseases like measles.
Source: Measles is surging in the US. Wastewater tracking could help. via MIT Technology Review