Vol. 3 No. 2 (2023)
Horizon Scans

Wastewater Surveillance for Communicable Diseases

Published February 21, 2023

Key Messages

  • This Horizon Scan summarizes the available information regarding wastewater epidemiology, or wastewater surveillance, for the detection of pathogens that cause communicable diseases.
  • Wastewater surveillance can detect the presence of pathogens or chemical substances within the wastewater system and allows for the monitoring of a broad population with a single sample.
  • Wastewater surveillance has been used for decades but has become more common since it was implemented around the world for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19. In Canada, wastewater surveillance is currently used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus.
  • Studies conducted in Canada and internationally indicate that wastewater surveillance can be used as a reliable method for detecting pathogens at the population level.
  • Future uses of wastewater surveillance may include monitoring of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance, detection of cancers in the population, or assessing the prevalence of other infections within communities.