Overview
Influenza viruses (IVs) are a significant public health threat that can be monitored using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) 12. WBE offers a complementary approach to traditional surveillance methods, which often rely on clinical data and may underestimate true prevalence 12.Diagnosis
Wastewater-based epidemiology can detect influenza viruses in wastewater matrices 12.
Detection of IVs in the solid fraction of wastewater samples generally outperforms detection in the supernatant/liquid 1.
Subtyping of IVs directly from wastewater is feasible 1.Management
No management strategies for influenza virus gastroenteritis are discussed in the provided abstracts.Special Populations
No information on special populations is covered in the provided abstracts.Key Recommendations
Wastewater-based epidemiology has the potential to monitor influenza virus circulation in humans 1. (Evidence: Moderate)
Standardization of sampling protocols and improvement of virus concentration methods are recommended for future research in wastewater surveillance of influenza viruses 2. (Evidence: Expert opinion)
Integration of wastewater surveillance into existing public health frameworks is recommended 2. (Evidence: Expert opinion)References
1 Viviani L, Vecchio R, Pariani E, Sandri L, Binda S, Ammoni E et al.. Wastewater-based epidemiology of influenza viruses: a systematic review. The Science of the total environment 2025. link
2 Dlamini M, Msolo L, Ehi Ebomah K, Nontongana N, Ifeanyi Okoh A. A systematic review on the incidence of influenza viruses in wastewater matrices: Implications for public health. PloS one 2024. link