1. Expanding the Pathogen Panel in Wastewater Epidemiology to Influenza and Norovirus.
- Author
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Markt, Rudolf, Stillebacher, Fabian, Nägele, Fabiana, Kammerer, Anna, Peer, Nico, Payr, Maria, Scheffknecht, Christoph, Dria, Silvina, Draxl-Weiskopf, Simon, Mayr, Markus, Rauch, Wolfgang, Kreuzinger, Norbert, Rainer, Lukas, Bachner, Florian, Zuba, Martin, Ostermann, Herwig, Lackner, Nina, Insam, Heribert, and Wagner, Andreas Otto
- Subjects
INFLUENZA epidemiology ,NOROVIRUSES ,SEWAGE disposal plants ,SEWAGE ,PATHOGENIC microorganisms - Abstract
Since the start of the 2019 pandemic, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has proven to be a valuable tool for monitoring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2. With methods and infrastructure being settled, it is time to expand the potential of this tool to a wider range of pathogens. We used over 500 archived RNA extracts from a WBE program for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance to monitor wastewater from 11 treatment plants for the presence of influenza and norovirus twice a week during the winter season of 2021/2022. Extracts were analyzed via digital PCR for influenza A, influenza B, norovirus GI, and norovirus GII. Resulting viral loads were normalized on the basis of NH
4 -N. Our results show a good applicability of ammonia-normalization to compare different wastewater treatment plants. Extracts originally prepared for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance contained sufficient genomic material to monitor influenza A, norovirus GI, and GII. Viral loads of influenza A and norovirus GII in wastewater correlated with numbers from infected inpatients. Further, SARS-CoV-2 related non-pharmaceutical interventions affected subsequent changes in viral loads of both pathogens. In conclusion, the expansion of existing WBE surveillance programs to include additional pathogens besides SARS-CoV-2 offers a valuable and cost-efficient possibility to gain public health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
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