‘Wastewater surveillance offers early warning of disease outbreaks’

Wastewater flowing through gullies may look unremarkable, but for public health researchers it can provide an early indication of the infectious diseases circulating in a community. Dr Imran Nisar and his colleagues at the Aga Khan University are studying sewage samples to detect the genetic material of disease-causing organisms, sometimes before increases are visible through routine clinical reporting. “By systematically collecting and testing wastewater samples, we can identify signals of pathogens circulating in a community, including those causing diarrhoeal, respiratory and vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Dr Nisar. “The aim is to complement existing surveillance and give health authorities an earlier indication of possible disease transmission”, he added.