New paper co-authored by Downing Fellow shows how local disease outbreaks can be detected early

New paper co-authored by Downing Fellow shows how local disease outbreaks can be detected early 

Over the past two years, Downing Fellow Dr Charlotte Hammer worked with Untap Health and the University of Cambridge Estates Division on a study to assess near-source wastewater surveillance. Conducted across five diverse sites in the UK, the findings revealed local outbreaks and trends not captured by national surveillance.

The University of Cambridge’s West Hub (the co-working hub on the University's West Cambridge Site) was one of the five case study sites. During Michaelmas term 2023, the team was able to monitor selected pathogens in real time, through a single test station in the outgoing sewage, using innovative technology. This allowed the team to provide daily data to the Estates Division on the local viral risk for Norovirus, RSV, Influenza and Covid-19. 

A paper reporting the findings of the study has been published in the PLOS Global Public Health Journal. 

Dr Hammer said: "Wastewater surveillance is an important tool in the surveillance and epidemic intelligence toolbox. Having reliable and scalable near-source wastewater surveillance options enables communities to react early to local changes in epidemiology. The study demonstrates that near-source wastewater surveillance can detect disease outbreaks early - giving communities and healthcare systems a crucial head start." 

Published 16 April 2025