Detecting foodborne illnesses through wastewater monitoring

Researchers evaluated whether wastewater surveillance could help identify Salmonella outbreaks earlier.

In a study published in Clinical Microbiology, the researchers analyzed raw sewage samples twice weekly from two wastewater treatment plants in central Pennsylvania in June 2022. They then conducted whole-genome sequencing on the samples.

The researchers identified 43 isolates and seven serovars of Salmonella. One of the serovars found in the wastewater exhibited genetic similarities to those associated with a salmonellosis outbreak among tomato and lettuce products occurring at the same time.

The findings demonstrated the potential utility of wastewater monitoring as a supplementary surveillance method to traditional public health monitoring, which could help identify outbreaks early and track the spread of foodborne illnesses.

Read more: Clinical Microbiology

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