Study finds links between bacteria in wastewater and chronic disease

A new study from The Ohio State University found associations between bacteria in wastewater and community rates of obesity, high blood pressure, asthma, and other chronic conditions. According to WOWO, the research was published in the journal Environmental Research and builds on wastewater monitoring methods that became more widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. UA.NEWS reported that researchers analyzed 27 wastewater samples collected in 2022 from nine treatment plants serving eight cities in Ohio. These communities represented more than 1.3 million people across urban and rural areas.

The research team examined bacteria associated with the human gut and compared the findings with public data on chronic diseases, health behaviors, demographics, and socioeconomic conditions. WOWO stated that researchers identified differences in bacterial profiles among the communities. Several types of bacteria were associated with rates of obesity, high blood pressure, asthma, smoking, depression, physical activity, and unemployment. UA.NEWS noted that the authors paid the greatest attention to the bacterial group Desulfovibrio. Its abundance was linked to eight health measures, including obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, and several other chronic diseases. WOWO reported that rural communities generally had higher levels of the bacteria, along with higher rates of several chronic health conditions.

Emma Lancaster, the study’s lead author and a former Ohio State doctoral student, said the findings could help researchers better understand differences in community health. Lancaster stated that wastewater monitoring could eventually help public officials identify communities facing greater health challenges and determine where resources may be needed. Jiyoung Lee, a professor and chair of environmental health sciences at Ohio State and the study’s senior author, said wastewater provides a way to examine the health of entire communities rather than relying only on people who visit health care providers. UA.NEWS added that such monitoring is already used to track viruses, including the pathogens that cause COVID-19, influenza, and mpox. Researchers say the approach could eventually expand beyond tracking infectious diseases to help evaluate broader public health initiatives, including whether nutrition programs are improving gut health.