Surveillance of Health-Relevant Pathogens Employing Wastewater

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to introduce the second edition of our Special Issue “Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Employing Wastewater” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/microorganisms/special_issues/EZWTO53D8J), now entitled "Surveillance of Health-Relevant Pathogens Employing Wastewater". Building on the success of the initial edition focused on SARS-CoV-2, this edition broadens the scope to capture the evolving landscape of Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES), particularly its application in monitoring emerging pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as we move into 2025 and beyond.

Wastewater has become a potent source of information, not just for public health, but also for significant economic sectors such as hospitals, aviation, tourism, and agriculture. The encoded data in wastewater offers early insights into pathogen prevalence, for instance, empowering healthcare facilities with timely intervention strategies and aiding in the design of effective infection control protocols. In the aviation and tourism industries, understanding regional pathogen dynamics enables the establishment of informed policies to safeguard the health of travellers. Similarly, in agriculture, insights gleaned from surveillance can inform practices related to livestock management and food safety, as well as addressing concerns associated with AMR.

This Special Issue delves into the advancements in WES that have enabled such comprehensive applications. It emphasizes the progression of health sector leadership, ethical practices, and the integration of wastewater data into broader public health and economic frameworks. By covering key aspects such as sampling, storage, laboratory analysis, data normalization, and communication, this edition underscores the vital role WES plays in enhancing global health security.

By synthesizing the various applications and opportunities offered by wastewater surveillance, this edition aims to illustrate its expanding influence on health preparedness and its potential to safeguard economically relevant sectors against emerging health threats. We look forward to exploring these dimensions with you.

Dr. Bernd Manfred Gawlik
Prof. Dr. Gernot Marx
Guest Editors

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