Wastewater testing helps public health officials detect measles early
AP News • • health
Key Points:
- Wastewater testing can detect measles infections days to months before clinical confirmation, helping public health officials respond earlier to outbreaks, according to two CDC studies involving Colorado and Oregon.
- The CDC's national wastewater surveillance system, which monitors over 1,300 sites and serves 147 million people, faces a proposed funding cut from $125 million to $25 million under the Trump administration budget plan, raising concerns about its sustainability.
- Colorado and Oregon studies demonstrated that wastewater testing identified measles presence before patients were diagnosed, revealing silent transmission and enabling more effective outbreak management.
- Several states, including Utah and New Mexico, have integrated wastewater data into public health dashboards and response efforts, illustrating the system's value in tracking and controlling measles outbreaks.
- Public
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