As officials turn to wastewater to monitor bird flu epidemic, questions about testing bubble up

As researchers increasingly rely on wastewater testing to monitor the spread of bird flu, some are questioning the reliability of the tests being used. Above, the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant in Playa Del Rey. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) As health officials turn increasingly toward wastewater testing as a means of tracking the spread of H5N1 bird flu among U.S. dairy herds, some researchers are raising questions about the effectiveness of the sewage assays. Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says current testing is…