Ohio State study links wastewater gut bacteria in eight Ohio cities to community chronic disease rates

Bacteria found in wastewater may provide clues about community health, including rates of chronic disease, health behaviors and social conditions, according to a study from The Ohio State University, reported by newswise.com. The work was published in the journal Environmental Research. newswise.comnewswise.comnewswise.comOpen source ↗

Researchers analyzed 27 wastewater samples from nine treatment plants serving eight Ohio cities in 2022. The communities were home to more than 1.3 million people, in a mix of urban and rural areas.

The study expands on wastewater monitoring, which became more widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lead author Emma Lancaster, a former doctoral student in Ohio State's College of Public Health, began the project while working with samples collected for COVID-19 surveillance. She asked whether the same samples could reveal broader patterns in public health.

Gut bacteria and health data

The team evaluated bacteria in the wastewater, specifically those found in the human gut. They then compared the results with public data on chronic diseases, health behaviors, demographics and socioeconomic conditions. newswise.comnewswise.comnewswise.comOpen source ↗

The researchers saw distinct bacterial profiles across the cities, with significant differences in the community-wide gut-associated microbiome. Several types of bacteria were associated with community rates of obesity, high blood pressure, asthma and other chronic conditions. Associations were also found with smoking, depression, physical activity and unemployment.

The amount of a bacterial group called Desulfovibrio was associated with eight health measures, including obesity, high blood pressure, stroke and several chronic diseases. Rural communities generally had a higher abundance of these bacteria and of several chronic health conditions.

Possible uses of wastewater monitoring

Lancaster said wastewater monitoring could help policymakers and public officials identify communities facing greater health challenges and direct resources where they are needed. newswise.comnewswise.comnewswise.comOpen source ↗

Jiyoung Lee, professor and chair of environmental health sciences at Ohio State and the study's senior author, said wastewater offers a way to understand the health of whole communities, not just the people who show up in clinics.

According to Lee, wastewater monitoring already helps track viruses that cause COVID, flu and Mpox, and has potential to support investigations of foodborne illness, such as the recent Cyclospora outbreak. The researchers said the approach could eventually extend beyond infectious agents. For example, tracking changes in the community gut microbiome could help assess whether nutrition programs are improving gut health.