A scoping review of human pathogens detected in untreated human wastewater and sludge

Abstract

Wastewater monitoring is an approach to identify the presence or abundance of pathogens within a population. The objective of this scoping review (ScR) was to identify and characterize research on human pathogens and antimicrobial resistance detected in untreated human wastewater and sludge. A search was conducted up to March 2023 and standard ScR methodology was followed. This ScR included 1,722 articles, of which 56.5% were published after the emergence of COVID-19. Viruses and bacteria were commonly investigated, while research on protozoa, helminths, and fungi was infrequent. Articles prior to 2019 were dominated by research on pathogens transmitted through fecal–oral or waterborne pathways, whereas more recent articles have explored the detection of pathogens transmitted through other pathways such as respiratory and vector-borne. There was variation in sampling, samples, and sample processing across studies. The current evidence suggests that wastewater monitoring could be applied to a range of pathogens as a public health tool to detect an emerging pathogen and understand the burden and spread of disease to inform decision-making. Further development and refinement of the methods to identify and interpret wastewater signals for different prioritized pathogens are needed to develop standards on when, why, and how to monitor effectively. HIGHLIGHTS A wide range of pathogens can be detected in wastewater.; 56.5% of studies were published since 2020.; Viruses were the most commonly investigated pathogen type followed by bacteria.; Earlier studies focused on pathogens transmitted through fecal–oral or waterborne pathways.; Additional research is needed to determine which pathogens are conducive to wastewater monitoring and where, when, and how it should be implemented.;

Keywords

• infectious disease
• knowledge synthesis
• pathogen
• scoping review
• wastewater