Wastewater surveillance overcomes socio-economic limitations of laboratory-based surveillance when monitoring disease transmission: The South African experience during the COVID-19 pandemic
PLoS ONE,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
20(2), P. e0311332 - e0311332
Published: Feb. 25, 2025
Wastewater
and
environmental
surveillance
has
been
promoted
as
a
communicable
disease
tool
because
it
overcomes
inherent
biases
in
laboratory-based
surveillance.
Yet,
little
empirical
evidence
exists
to
support
this
notion,
remains
largely
an
intuitive,
though
highly
plausible
hypothesis.
Our
interdisciplinary
study
uses
WES
data
show
for
underreporting
of
SARS-CoV-2
the
context
measurable
statistically
significant
associations
between
economic
conditions
incidence
testing
rates.
We
obtained
geolocated,
anonymised,
laboratory-confirmed
cases,
wastewater
viral
load
socio-demographic
Gauteng
Province,
South
Africa.
spatially
located
all
create
single
dataset
sewershed
catchments
served
by
two
large
treatment
plants.
conducted
epidemiological,
persons
infected
principal
component
analysis
explore
relationships
variables.
Overall,
we
demonstrate
co-contributory
influences
socio-economic
indicators
on
access
cumulative
incidence,
thus
reflecting
that
apparent
rates
mirror
socioeconomic
considerations
rather
than
true
epidemiology.
These
analyses
how
provides
valuable
information
contextualise
interpret
epidemiological
data.
Whilst
is
useful
have
these
established
SARS-CoV-2,
implications
beyond
are
legion
reasons,
namely
clinical
broadly
applicable
across
pathogens
infecting
humans
will
find
their
way
into
albeit
varying
quantities.
should
be
implemented
strengthen
systems,
especially
where
inequalities
limit
interpretability
conventional
Language: Английский
A Review of Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Rural, Remote, and Resource-Constrained Settings Internationally: Insights for Implementation, Research, and Policy for First Nations in Canada
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
21(11), P. 1429 - 1429
Published: Oct. 28, 2024
Wastewater-based
epidemiology
(WBE)
is
regarded
as
a
support
tool
for
detecting
and
assessing
the
prevalence
of
infectious
diseases
at
population
level.
For
rural,
remote,
resource-constrained
communities
with
little
access
to
other
public
health
monitoring
tools,
WBE
can
be
low-cost
approach
filling
gaps
in
knowledge
inform
risk
assessment
decision-making.
This
rapid
review
explores
discusses
unique
considerations
key
settings,
focus
on
detection
SARS-CoV-2
virus,
which
has
rapidly
expanded
infrastructure
globally.
To
frame
our
understanding
possibilities
First
Nations
Alberta,
we
address
following
questions:
What
are
challenges
under
similar
contexts
or
settings?
resources
expertise
required
WBE?
identifies
several
communities,
including
costs,
accessibility,
operator
capacity,
wastewater
infrastructure,
data
mobilization—highlighting
need
equity
WBE.
In
summary,
most
require
additional
from
external
research
and/or
governmental
bodies
undertake
Language: Английский