Measles Detection: Wastewater Surveillance
- The CDC reports 14 outbreaks across 33 states so far in 2025, compared to just 16 outbreaks in all of 2024.
- Wastewater surveillance offers an objective and early warning system, detecting viruses in communities before traditional testing methods.
- WastewaterSCAN, which began testing for COVID-19 in 2020, has expanded its monitoring to include influenza, RSV, and other microbes.This spring, they developed a test to detect the active...
With measles cases on the rise due to falling vaccination rates, discover how public health officials are leveraging wastewater surveillance to gain an early warning system.This innovative approach, detailed in News Directory 3, allows scientists to proactively track adn combat the spread of measles by detecting the virus in wastewater, offering a valuable layer of defense against this highly contagious disease. By testing nearly 150 sewage sites nationwide, the CDC and other organizations can identify outbreaks before conventional methods. This proactive strategy provides crucial information for health officials, helping them allocate resources and vaccination efforts where they are most needed. Early detection is key to controlling measles. Learn about the crucial role wastewater monitoring plays in safeguarding communities. Discover what’s next in this evolving area of public health.
Wastewater Monitoring Detects Measles Outbreaks Early
With measles vaccination rates declining, the U.S. is seeing a resurgence of the disease. The CDC reports 14 outbreaks across 33 states so far in 2025, compared to just 16 outbreaks in all of 2024. Now, scientists are turning to wastewater surveillance to track adn combat the spread of measles.
Wastewater surveillance offers an objective and early warning system, detecting viruses in communities before traditional testing methods. For measles, the virus sheds in urine, feces, and saliva, making wastewater monitoring a valuable tool for public health officials. Dr. Marlene Wolf, assistant professor at Emory and principal investigator of WastewaterSCAN, describes it as “a finger-to-the-wind weather map of what is happening with infectious diseases.”
Adding Measles to Wastewater Tests
WastewaterSCAN, which began testing for COVID-19 in 2020, has expanded its monitoring to include influenza, RSV, and other microbes.This spring, they developed a test to detect the active measles virus from nearly 150 sewage sites nationwide, with results available within 48 hours.
So far, the virus has been detected in Hollywood, Md., Sacramento, Calif., and Stamford, Conn. While WastewaterSCAN is the first to test for measles nationally, the CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance system includes over 1,400 sites covering 150 million Americans. Some state health departments, including Texas, also conduct wastewater testing.
The Value of Wastewater Monitoring for Measles
Traditional measles tracking relies on doctors reporting cases to the CDC, a process that can be slow. Symptoms,like fever and cough,can initially be mistaken for other illnesses,and some individuals may not seek medical care.Wastewater monitoring bypasses these delays, potentially detecting the virus earlier.
This early detection is crucial for a highly contagious disease like measles, where one person can infect up to 18 others.”This is anonymous testing that combines everyone in a community,” said Wolfe. “And for measles, it’s likely that shedding [of the virus] into wastewater is happening before people necessarily recognise what they have.”
How Wastewater Data Aids Health Officials
While it’s too early to determine if wastewater monitoring can detect measles before positive tests, it has proven accomplished with COVID-19, identifying outbreaks days or weeks in advance. As more measles data is collected, health experts can identify trends and allocate resources, such as vaccines, to areas where infections are spreading. Declining positive samples can also signal when infections are under control.
Protecting Yourself
Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles. Ensuring everyone eligible is up-to-date on their measles vaccines provides close to lifelong immunity.
What’s next
Health officials will continue to monitor wastewater data for trends and patterns,using the information to inform vaccination strategies and resource allocation in affected communities. The expansion of wastewater surveillance could provide a more thorough and timely understanding of measles transmission across the country.