Researchers demonstrated that rotavirus RNA levels detected in wastewater correlate with population‑level infection rates and vaccination coverage across the United States. The study used wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to track temporal and geographic trends, suggesting WBE can complement clinical surveillance for vaccine‑preventable enteric viruses. The paper links environmental virology data with public‑health metrics and vaccination records, validating WBE as a near‑real‑time surveillance tool. For readers: wastewater-based epidemiology uses molecular detection of pathogens in sewage to estimate community infection prevalence without individual testing.