ArticlePLoS computational biology2025
Optimal sampling frequency and site selection for wastewater and environmental surveillance of infectious pathogens: A value of information assessment.
Article in PLoS computational biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Wastewater Surveillance: A National Concept for Germany-A Refined Approach to Surveillance Site Selection.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) is a promising method of detecting infectious diseases in human and animal populations and offers significant advantages over traditional surveillance methods in the early detection of outbreaks. However, WES involves financial and human resources, and public policy decisions must determine whether the benefits of WES outweigh the costs, particularly in low-resource areas. The selection of surveillance sites, sampling frequency, and test sensitivity and specificity are crucial determinants of WES effectiveness and cost-efficiency. We created an analytical model and numerical simulations of disease arrival, spread, and WES strategies to determine the optimal sampling frequency for two interacting patches, each represented by a different sampling site. We show that it is optimal to test in one patch more frequently than it is to test in both patches less frequently if the patches are sufficiently interactive, surveillance is of sufficient sensitivity and specificity, and setup costs are substantial. In our value of information (VOI) assessment, the net value of surveillance information for both patches is non-monotonic with respect to the degree of patch interaction. Increased mixing between the patches allows for quicker surveillance detection but is worse for overall infection burden. Overall, optimizing the value of surveillance information for all patches being surveilled requires coordination and deliberate selection of surveillance sites and sampling frequencies. This paper provides a VOI assessment of WES to determine the optimal number of sites and sampling frequency at a high level of abstraction, leaving opportunity to adapt the model to specific pathogens and populations as needed. Our findings can inform the cost-efficient implementation of WES for infectious diseases, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.