Assessing Normalization Methods in Wastewater Based Epidemiology: A Systematic Review

Key Points

• The aim is to evaluate the various normalization methods used in wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor disease trends.
• Conducted a systematic review of existing studies on wastewater-based epidemiology.
• Analyzed different normalization and control practices reported across studies.
• Identified gaps and inconsistencies in methodologies and their implications.
• Findings highlight significant variability in normalization methods across studies.
• Inconsistent practices may lead to challenges in comparing data from different locations.
• Standardized normalization practices are suggested to improve the reliability of WBE.

Abstract