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Chavez J, Crank K, Barber C, Gerrity D, Iverson T, Mongillo J, Weil A, Rider L, Lacross N, Oakeson K, Rossi A. Early Introductions of Candida auris Detected by Wastewater Surveillance, Utah, USA, 2022-2023. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:2107-2117. [PMID: 39320163 PMCID: PMC11431928 DOI: 10.3201/eid3010.240173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Candida auris is considered a nosocomial pathogen of high concern and is currently spreading across the United States. Infection control measures for C. auris focus mainly on healthcare facilities, yet transmission levels may already be significant in the community before outbreaks are detected in healthcare settings. Wastewater-based epidemiology (culture, quantitative PCR, and whole-genome sequencing) can potentially gauge pathogen transmission in the general population and lead to early detection of C. auris before it is detected in clinical cases. To learn more about the sensitivity and limitations of wastewater-based surveillance, we used wastewater-based methods to detect C. auris in a southern Utah jurisdiction with no known clinical cases before and after the documented transfer of colonized patients from bordering Nevada. Our study illustrates the potential of wastewater-based surveillance for being sufficiently sensitive to detect C. auris transmission during the early stages of introduction into a community.
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Julian TR, Devaux AJ, Brülisauer L, Conforti S, Rusch JC, Gan C, Bagutti C, Stadler T, Kohn T, Ort C. Monitoring an Emergent Pathogen at Low Incidence in Wastewater Using qPCR: Mpox in Switzerland. FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL VIROLOGY 2024; 16:269-279. [PMID: 38780822 PMCID: PMC11422434 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-024-09603-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology offers a complementary approach to clinical case-based surveillance of emergent diseases and can help identify regions with infected people to prioritize clinical surveillance strategies. However, tracking emergent diseases in wastewater requires reliance on novel testing assays with uncertain sensitivity and specificity. Limited pathogen shedding may cause detection to be below the limit of quantification or bordering the limit of detection. Here, we investigated how the definition of limit of detection for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) impacts epidemiological insights during an mpox outbreak in Switzerland. 365 wastewater samples from three wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland from 9 March through 31 October 2022 were analyzed for mpox DNA using qPCR. We detected mpox DNA in 22% (79 of 365) wastewater samples based on a liberal definition of qPCR detection as any exponentially increasing fluorescence above the threshold. Based on a more restrictive definition as the lowest concentration at which there is 95% likelihood of detection, detection was 1% (5 of 365). The liberal definition shows high specificity (90%) and accuracy (78%), but moderate sensitivity (64%) when benchmarked against available clinical case reporting, which contrasts with higher specificity (98%) but lower sensitivity (10%) and accuracy (56%) of the 95% likelihood definition. Wastewater-based epidemiology applied to an emergent pathogen will require optimizing public health trade-offs between reporting data with high degrees of uncertainty and delaying communication and associated action. Information sharing with relevant public health stakeholders could couple early results with clear descriptions of uncertainty.Impact Statement: When a novel pathogen threatens to enter a community, wastewater-based epidemiology offers an opportunity to track its emergence and spread. However, rapid deployment of methods for to detect a novel pathogen may rely on assays with uncertain sensitivity and specificity. Benchmarking the detection of mpox DNA in Swiss wastewaters with reported clinical cases in 2022, we demonstrate how definitions of detection of a qPCR assay influence epidemiological insights from wastewater. The results highlight the need for information sharing between public health stakeholders that couple early insights from wastewater with descriptions of methodological uncertainty to optimize public health actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Julian
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Alexander J Devaux
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Laura Brülisauer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sheena Conforti
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4009, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Johannes C Rusch
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Charles Gan
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Tanja Stadler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4009, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tamar Kohn
- Laboratory of Environmental Virology, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, (ENAC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Ort
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Brochu HN, Song K, Zhang Q, Zeng Q, Shafi A, Robinson M, Humphrey J, Croy B, Peavy L, Perera M, Parker S, Pruitt J, Munroe J, Ghatti R, Urban TJ, Harris AB, Alfego D, Norvell B, Levandoski M, Krueger B, Williams JD, Boles D, Nye MB, Dale SE, Sapeta M, Petropoulos CJ, Meltzer J, Eisenberg M, Cohen O, Letovsky S, Iyer LK. A program for real-time surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 genetics. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20249. [PMID: 39215120 PMCID: PMC11364650 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70697-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic brought forth an urgent need for widespread genomic surveillance for rapid detection and monitoring of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. It necessitated design, development, and deployment of a nationwide infrastructure designed for sequestration, consolidation, and characterization of patient samples that disseminates de-identified information to public authorities in tight turnaround times. Here, we describe our development of such an infrastructure, which sequenced 594,832 high coverage SARS-CoV-2 genomes from isolates we collected in the United States (U.S.) from March 13th 2020 to July 3rd 2023. Our sequencing protocol ('Virseq') utilizes wet and dry lab procedures to generate mutation-resistant sequencing of the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome, capturing all major lineages. We also characterize 379 clinically relevant SARS-CoV-2 multi-strain co-infections and ensure robust detection of emerging lineages via simulation. The modular infrastructure, sequencing, and analysis capabilities we describe support the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national surveillance program and serve as a model for rapid response to emerging pandemics at a national scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayden N Brochu
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Kuncheng Song
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Qimin Zhang
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Qiandong Zeng
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Adib Shafi
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Matthew Robinson
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Jake Humphrey
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Bobbi Croy
- Labcorp Information Technology, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Lydia Peavy
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Minoli Perera
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Scott Parker
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - John Pruitt
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Jason Munroe
- Labcorp Consumer Genetics Department, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | | | - Thomas J Urban
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Ayla B Harris
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - David Alfego
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Brian Norvell
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Michael Levandoski
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
- Q2 Solutions, an IQVIA Business, Durham, NC, 27703, USA
| | - Brian Krueger
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
- BaseX Scientific, LLC, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | | | - Deborah Boles
- Labcorp Research and Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Melinda B Nye
- Labcorp Center for Esoteric Testing, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Suzanne E Dale
- Labcorp Center for Esoteric Testing, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Michael Sapeta
- Labcorp Center for Esoteric Testing, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | | | | | | | - Oren Cohen
- Labcorp Drug Development, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
- Fortrea Inc, Durham, NC, 27703, USA
| | - Stanley Letovsky
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA
| | - Lakshmanan K Iyer
- Labcorp Center for Excellence in Data Science, AI and Bioinformatics, Burlington, NC, 27215, USA.
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Singh S, Ahmed AI, Almansoori S, Alameri S, Adlan A, Odivilas G, Chattaway MA, Salem SB, Brudecki G, Elamin W. A narrative review of wastewater surveillance: pathogens of concern, applications, detection methods, and challenges. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1445961. [PMID: 39139672 PMCID: PMC11319304 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1445961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The emergence and resurgence of pathogens have led to significant global health challenges. Wastewater surveillance has historically been used to track water-borne or fecal-orally transmitted pathogens, providing a sensitive means of monitoring pathogens within a community. This technique offers a comprehensive, real-time, and cost-effective approach to disease surveillance, especially for diseases that are difficult to monitor through individual clinical screenings. Methods This narrative review examines the current state of knowledge on wastewater surveillance, emphasizing important findings and techniques used to detect potential pathogens from wastewater. It includes a review of literature on the detection methods, the pathogens of concern, and the challenges faced in the surveillance process. Results Wastewater surveillance has proven to be a powerful tool for early warning and timely intervention of infectious diseases. It can detect pathogens shed by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals, providing an accurate population-level view of disease transmission. The review highlights the applications of wastewater surveillance in tracking key pathogens of concern, such as gastrointestinal pathogens, respiratory pathogens, and viruses like SARS-CoV-2. Discussion The review discusses the benefits of wastewater surveillance in public health, particularly its role in enhancing existing systems for infectious disease surveillance. It also addresses the challenges faced, such as the need for improved detection methods and the management of antimicrobial resistance. The potential for wastewater surveillance to inform public health mitigation strategies and outbreak response protocols is emphasized. Conclusion Wastewater surveillance is a valuable tool in the fight against infectious diseases. It offers a unique perspective on the spread and evolution of pathogens, aiding in the prevention and control of disease epidemics. This review underscores the importance of continued research and development in this field to overcome current challenges and maximize the potential of wastewater surveillance in public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surabhi Singh
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amina Ismail Ahmed
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sumayya Almansoori
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shaikha Alameri
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ashraf Adlan
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Giovanni Odivilas
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Marie Anne Chattaway
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Laboratory, London, United Kingdom
| | - Samara Bin Salem
- Central Testing Laboratory, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Grzegorz Brudecki
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael Elamin
- Microbiology Lab, Reference and Surveillance Intelligence Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Sayyad L, Harrington C, Castro CJ, Belgasmi-Allen H, Jeffries Miles S, Hill J, Mendoza Prillwitz ML, Gobern L, Gaitán E, Delgado AP, Castillo Signor L, Rondy M, Rey-Benito G, Gerloff N. Molecular epidemiology of enteroviruses from Guatemalan wastewater isolated from human lung fibroblasts. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305108. [PMID: 38959255 PMCID: PMC11221682 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The Global Specialized Polio Laboratory at CDC supports the Global Poliovirus Laboratory Network with environmental surveillance (ES) to detect the presence of vaccine strain polioviruses, vaccine-derived polioviruses, and wild polioviruses in high-risk countries. Environmental sampling provides valuable supplementary information, particularly in areas with gaps in surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) mainly in children less than 15 years. In collaboration with Guatemala's National Health Laboratory (Laboratorio Nacional de Salud Guatemala), monthly sewage collections allowed screening enterovirus (EV) presence without incurring additional costs for sample collection, transport, or concentration. Murine recombinant fibroblast L-cells (L20B) and human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells are used for the isolation of polioviruses following a standard detection algorithm. Though non-polio-Enteroviruses (NPEV) can be isolated, the algorithm is optimized for the detection of polioviruses. To explore if other EV's are present in sewage not found through standard methods, five additional cell lines were piloted in a small-scale experiment, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used for the identification of any EV types. Human lung fibroblast cells (HLF) were selected based on their ability to isolate EV-A genus. Sewage concentrates collected between 2020-2021 were isolated in HLF cells and any cytopathic effect positive isolates used for NGS. A large variety of EVs, including echoviruses 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, 13, 18, 19, 25, 29; coxsackievirus A13, B2, and B5, EV-C99, EVB, and polioviruses (Sabin 1 and 3) were identified through genomic typing in NGS. When the EV genotypes were compared by phylogenetic analysis, it showed many EV's were genomically like viruses previously isolated from ES collected in Haiti. Enterovirus occurrence did not follow a seasonality, but more diverse EV types were found in ES collection sites with lower populations. Using the additional cell line in the existing poliovirus ES algorithm may add value by providing data about EV circulation, without additional sample collection or processing. Next-generation sequencing closed gaps in knowledge providing molecular epidemiological information on multiple EV types and full genome sequences of EVs present in wastewater in Guatemala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanna Sayyad
- Contracting Agency to the Division of Viral Diseases, Cherokee Nation Assurance, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Chelsea Harrington
- Division of Viral Diseases, Polio and Picornavirus Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Christina J. Castro
- Contracting Agency to the Division of Viral Diseases, Cherokee Nation Assurance, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Hanen Belgasmi-Allen
- Division of Viral Diseases, Polio and Picornavirus Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Stacey Jeffries Miles
- Division of Viral Diseases, Polio and Picornavirus Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jamaica Hill
- Contracting Agency to the Division of Viral Diseases, IHRC Inc., Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | | | - Lorena Gobern
- Ministerio de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Ericka Gaitán
- Ministerio de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Andrea Paola Delgado
- Ministerio de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | | | - Marc Rondy
- Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization, Guatemala Country Office, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Gloria Rey-Benito
- Pan-American Health Organization, World Health Organization, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Nancy Gerloff
- Division of Viral Diseases, Polio and Picornavirus Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Toro L, de Valk H, Zanetti L, Huot C, Tarantola A, Fournet N, Moulin L, Atoui A, Gassilloud B, Mouly D, Jourdain F. Pathogen prioritisation for wastewater surveillance ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, France. Euro Surveill 2024; 29. [PMID: 38994605 PMCID: PMC11241851 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2024.29.28.2400231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BackgroundWastewater surveillance is an effective approach to monitor population health, as exemplified by its role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.AimThis study explores the possibility of extending wastewater surveillance to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, focusing on identifying priority pathogen targets that are relevant and feasible to monitor in wastewater for these events.MethodsA list of 60 pathogens of interest for general public health surveillance for the Games was compiled. Each pathogen was evaluated against three inclusion criteria: (A) analytical feasibility; (B) relevance, i.e. with regards to the specificities of the event and the characteristics of the pathogen; and (C) added value to inform public health decision-making. Analytical feasibility was assessed through evidence from peer-reviewed publications demonstrating the detectability of pathogens in sewage, refining the initial list to 25 pathogens. Criteria B and C were evaluated via expert opinion using the Delphi method. The panel consisting of some 30 experts proposed five additional pathogens meeting criterion A, totalling 30 pathogens assessed throughout the three-round iterative questionnaire. Pathogens failing to reach 70% group consensus threshold underwent further deliberation by a subgroup of experts.ResultsSix priority targets suitable for wastewater surveillance during the Games were successfully identified: poliovirus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, mpox virus, SARS-CoV-2 and measles virus.ConclusionThis study introduced a model framework for identifying context-specific wastewater surveillance targets for a mass gathering. Successful implementation of a wastewater surveillance plan for Paris 2024 could incentivise similar monitoring efforts for other mass gatherings globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila Toro
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Montpellier, France
| | - Henriette de Valk
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Laura Zanetti
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Saint-Maurice, France
| | - Caroline Huot
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Arnaud Tarantola
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Saint-Denis, France
| | - Nelly Fournet
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Saint-Denis, France
| | | | - Ali Atoui
- ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Hydrology, Nancy, France
| | | | - Damien Mouly
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Toulouse, France
| | - Frédéric Jourdain
- Santé publique France (French National Public Health Agency), Montpellier, France
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Sheth K, Domakonda K, Short K, Stadler L, Ensor KB, Johnson CD, Williams SL, Persse D, Hopkins L. A Novel Framework for Internal Responses to Detection of Pathogens in Wastewater by Public Health Agencies. Public Health Rep 2024:333549241253787. [PMID: 38868902 DOI: 10.1177/00333549241253787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To build on the success of wastewater surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic, jurisdictions funded under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Wastewater Surveillance System are looking to expand their wastewater programs to detect more pathogens. However, many public health agencies do not know how to use the collected wastewater data to formulate public health responses, underscoring a need for guidance. To address this knowledge gap, the Houston Health Department (HHD) developed a novel response framework that outlines an internal action plan that is tailored by pathogen type after detection of various pathogens in wastewater. MATERIALS AND METHODS In July 2023, HHD met with subject matter experts (eg, bureau chiefs, program managers) in internal departments, including epidemiology, immunization, and health education, to discuss the general outline of the response framework and each department's anticipated role after pathogen detection. RESULTS The internal framework established a flow for notifications and the actions to be taken by departments in HHD, with the goals of (1) ensuring timely and efficient responses to pathogen detections, (2) creating accountability within departments for taking their assigned actions, and (3) making certain that HHD was prepared for intervention implementation when a new pathogen was detected. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS As more public health agencies expand their wastewater surveillance programs to target additional pathogens, development of internal action plans tailored to departmental capacity and programs is an important step for public health agencies. The information compiled in this response framework can be a model for other public health agencies to adopt when expanding the scope of their wastewater monitoring systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lauren Stadler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Catherine D Johnson
- Houston Health Foundation, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - David Persse
- City of Houston Emergency Medical Services, Houston, TX, USA
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Loren Hopkins
- Houston Health Department, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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Miles SJ, Harrington C, Sun H, Deas A, Oberste MS, Nix WA, Vega E, Gerloff N. Validation of improved automated nucleic acid extraction methods for direct detection of polioviruses for global polio eradication. J Virol Methods 2024; 326:114914. [PMID: 38458353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2024.114914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Polioviruses (PV), the main causative agent of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses of the family Picornaviridae. As we approach polio eradication, accurate and timely detection of poliovirus in stool from AFP cases becomes vital to success for the eradication efforts. Direct detection of PV from clinical diagnostic samples using nucleic acid (NA) extraction and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) instead of the current standard method of virus isolation in culture, eliminates the long turn-around time to diagnosis and the need for high viral titer amplification in laboratories. An essential component of direct detection of PV from AFP surveillance samples is the efficient extraction of NA. Potential supply chain issues and lack of vendor presence in certain areas of the world necessitates the validation of multiple NA extraction methods. Using retrospective PV-positive surveillance samples (n=104), two extraction kits were compared to the previously validated Zymo Research Quick-RNA™ Viral Kit. The Roche High Pure Viral RNA Kit, a column-based manual extraction method, and the MagMaX™ Pathogen RNA/DNA kit used in the automated Kingfisher Flex system were both non-inferior to the Zymo kit, with similar rates of PV detection in pivotal rRT-PCR assays, such as pan-poliovirus (PanPV), poliovirus serotype 2 (PV2), and wild poliovirus serotype 1 (WPV1). These important assays allow the identification and differentiation of PV genotypes and serotypes and are fundamental to the GPLN program. Validation of two additional kits provides feasible alternatives to the current piloted method of NA extraction for poliovirus rRT-PCR assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey Jeffries Miles
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Chelsea Harrington
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Hong Sun
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Ashley Deas
- Cherokee Nation Assurance, Contracting Agency to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - M Steven Oberste
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - W Allan Nix
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Everardo Vega
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Nancy Gerloff
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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9
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Thompson KM, Kalkowska DA, Routh JA, Brenner IR, Rosenberg ES, Zucker JR, Langdon-Embry M, Sugerman DE, Burns CC, Badizadegan K. Modeling Poliovirus Transmission and Responses in New York State. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:1097-1106. [PMID: 37596838 PMCID: PMC11284859 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In July 2022, New York State (NYS) reported a case of paralytic polio in an unvaccinated young adult, and subsequent wastewater surveillance confirmed sustained local transmission of type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV2) in NYS with genetic linkage to the paralyzed patient. METHODS We adapted an established poliovirus transmission and oral poliovirus vaccine evolution model to characterize dynamics of poliovirus transmission in NYS, including consideration of the immunization activities performed as part of the declared state of emergency. RESULTS Despite sustained transmission of imported VDPV2 in NYS involving potentially thousands of individuals (depending on seasonality, population structure, and mixing assumptions) in 2022, the expected number of additional paralytic cases in years 2023 and beyond is small (less than 0.5). However, continued transmission and/or reintroduction of poliovirus into NYS and other populations remains a possible risk in communities that do not achieve and maintain high immunization coverage. CONCLUSIONS In countries such as the United States that use only inactivated poliovirus vaccine, even with high average immunization coverage, imported polioviruses may circulate and pose a small but nonzero risk of causing paralysis in nonimmune individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Janell A Routh
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - I Ravi Brenner
- Office of Public Health, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Eli S Rosenberg
- Office of Public Health, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Jane R Zucker
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA
- Immunization Services Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - David E Sugerman
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Cara C Burns
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Hall GJ, Page EJ, Rhee M, Hay C, Krause A, Langenbacher E, Ruth A, Grenier S, Duran AP, Kamara I, Iskander JK, Alsayyid F, Thomas DL, Bock E, Porta N, Pharo J, Osterink BA, Zelmanowitz S, Fleischmann CM, Liyanage D, Gray JP. Wastewater Surveillance of US Coast Guard Installations and Seagoing Military Vessels to Mitigate the Risk of COVID-19 Outbreaks, March 2021-August 2022. Public Health Rep 2024:333549241236644. [PMID: 38561999 DOI: 10.1177/00333549241236644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Military training centers and seagoing vessels are often environments at high risk for the spread of COVID-19 and other contagious diseases, because military trainees and personnel arrive after traveling from many parts of the country and live in congregate settings. We examined whether levels of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in wastewater correlated with SARS-CoV-2 infections among military personnel living in communal barracks and vessels at US Coast Guard training centers in the United States. METHODS The Coast Guard developed and established 3 laboratories with wastewater testing capability at Coast Guard training centers from March 2021 through August 2022. We analyzed wastewater from barracks housing trainees and from 4 Coast Guard vessels for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genes N and E and quantified the results relative to levels of a fecal indicator virus, pepper mild mottle virus. We compared quantified data with the timing of medically diagnosed COVID-19 infection among (1) military personnel who had presented with symptoms or had been discovered through contact tracing and had medical tests and (2) military personnel who had been discovered through routine surveillance by positive SARS-CoV-2 antigen or polymerase chain reaction test results. RESULTS Levels of viral genes in wastewater at Coast Guard locations were best correlated with diagnosed COVID-19 cases when wastewater testing was performed twice weekly with passive samplers deployed for the entire week; such testing detected ≥1 COVID-19 case 69.8% of the time and ≥3 cases 88.3% of the time. Wastewater assessment in vessels did not continue because of logistical constraints. CONCLUSION Wastewater testing is an effective tool for measuring the presence and patterns of SARS-CoV-2 infections among military populations. Success with wastewater testing for SARS-CoV-2 infections suggests that other diseases may be assessed with similar approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Hall
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Eric J Page
- Department of Physics, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Min Rhee
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Clara Hay
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Amelia Krause
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Emma Langenbacher
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Allison Ruth
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Steve Grenier
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Alexander P Duran
- Office of Environmental Safety, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Ibrahim Kamara
- Occupational Medicine and Quality Improvement Division, US Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC, USA
| | - John K Iskander
- Preventive Medicine and Population Health, US Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Fahad Alsayyid
- Coast Guard Medical Directorate, US Coast Guard, Cape May, NJ, USA
| | - Dana L Thomas
- Assistant Commandant, Health, Safety, and Work-Life Service Center, US Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Edward Bock
- Health, Safety, and Work-Life Service Center, US Coast Guard, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Nicholas Porta
- Health, Safety, and Work-Life Service Center, US Coast Guard, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Jessica Pharo
- Health, Safety, and Work-Life Service Center, US Coast Guard, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Beth A Osterink
- Health, Safety, and Work-Life Service Center, US Coast Guard, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Sharon Zelmanowitz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Corinna M Fleischmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Dilhara Liyanage
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
| | - Joshua P Gray
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, USA
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11
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Anda B. Poliomyelitis and COVID-19: a repeated history. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2024; 22:717-720. [PMID: 38678424 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
The measurement of the enterovirus and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in sewage water is relevant in the early detection of the introduction or disappearance of these viruses in the ecosystem. We evaluated the co-circulation of the enteroviruses and SARS-CoV-2 in 81 sewage water samples collected between September 2021 and April 2023 from different regions of north and southeast Romania, at the border with Ukraine. We used, for the molecular detection of the pathogens, the multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay produced for respiratory samples and the Respiratory 2.1 Plus panel Biofire Film array. The isolation of enteroviruses was performed on cell culture lines, in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. By molecular investigations, we detected the SARS-CoV-2 in 22 (27%) samples, and the human rhinovirus/enterovirus in 64 (79%) samples. By isolation on cell culture lines, 27 samples (33,33%) were positive for non-polio enteroviruses, and no poliovirus strains were isolated, proving the maintenance of the polio-free status in Romania. In an emergency situation, the molecular detection of the pathogens in sewage water using a PCR system integrating sample preparation, amplification, detection, and analysis in 1 h could be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baicus Anda
- Enteric Viral Infections, Laboratory 'Cantacuzino' Medico Military National Institute of Research and Development, 050096 Bucharest, Romania; Department of Microbiology III - Emergency University Hospital Bucharest, Faculty of Medicine, 'Carol Davila' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050098 Bucharest, Romania E-mail:
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12
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Majumdar R, Taye B, Bjornberg C, Giljork M, Lynch D, Farah F, Abdullah I, Osiecki K, Yousaf I, Luckstein A, Turri W, Sampathkumar P, Moyer AM, Kipp BR, Cattaneo R, Sussman CR, Navaratnarajah CK. From pandemic to endemic: Divergence of COVID-19 positive-tests and hospitalization numbers from SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater of Rochester, Minnesota. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27974. [PMID: 38515669 PMCID: PMC10955309 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, public health surveillance relied on individual-level data but recently wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for the detection of infectious diseases including COVID-19 became a valuable tool in the public health arsenal. Here, we use WBE to follow the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in Rochester, Minnesota (population 121,395 at the 2020 census), from February 2021 to December 2022. We monitored the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infections on public health by comparing three sets of data: quantitative measurements of viral RNA in wastewater as an unbiased reporter of virus level in the community, positive results of viral RNA or antigen tests from nasal swabs reflecting community reporting, and hospitalization data. From February 2021 to August 2022 viral RNA levels in wastewater were closely correlated with the oscillating course of COVID-19 case and hospitalization numbers. However, from September 2022 cases remained low and hospitalization numbers dropped, whereas viral RNA levels in wastewater continued to oscillate. The low reported cases may reflect virulence reduction combined with abated inclination to report, and the divergence of virus levels in wastewater from reported cases may reflect COVID-19 shifting from pandemic to endemic. WBE, which also detects asymptomatic infections, can provide an early warning of impending cases, and offers crucial insights during pandemic waves and in the transition to the endemic phase.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Biruhalem Taye
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Iris Yousaf
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Priya Sampathkumar
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ann M. Moyer
- Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Benjamin R. Kipp
- Advanced Diagnostics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Division of Laboratory Genetics and Genomics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Roberto Cattaneo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Caroline R. Sussman
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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13
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Verani M, Pagani A, Federigi I, Lauretani G, Atomsa NT, Rossi V, Viviani L, Carducci A. Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for Viral Surveillance from an Endemic Perspective: Evidence and Challenges. Viruses 2024; 16:482. [PMID: 38543847 PMCID: PMC10975420 DOI: 10.3390/v16030482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is currently used to monitor not only the spread of the viral SARS-CoV-2 pandemic but also that of other viruses in endemic conditions, particularly in the absence of syndromic surveillance. The continuous monitoring of sewage requires high expenditure and significant time investments, highlighting the need for standardized methods and structured monitoring strategies. In this context, we conducted weekly wastewater monitoring in northwestern Tuscany (Italy) and targeted human adenovirus (HAdV), norovirus genogroup II (NoVggII), enterovirus (EV), and SARS-CoV-2. Samples were collected at the entrances of treatment plants and concentrated using PEG/NaCl precipitation, and viral nucleic acids were extracted and detected through real-time reverse transcription qPCR. NoVggII was the most identified target (84.4%), followed by HAdV, SARS-CoV-2, and EV. Only HAdV and EV exhibited seasonal peaks in spring and summer. Compared with data that were previously collected in the same study area (from February 2021 to September 2021), the results for SARS-CoV-2 revealed a shift from an epidemic to an endemic pattern, at least in the region under investigation, which was likely due to viral mutations that led to the spreading of new variants with increased resistance to summer environmental conditions. In conclusion, using standardized methods and an efficient monitoring strategy, WBE proves valuable for viral surveillance in pandemic and epidemic scenarios, enabling the identification of temporal-local distribution patterns that are useful for making informed public health decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ileana Federigi
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Virology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via S. Zeno 35/39, 56123 Pisa, Italy; (M.V.); (A.P.); (G.L.); (N.T.A.); (V.R.); (L.V.); (A.C.)
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14
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Parkins MD, Lee BE, Acosta N, Bautista M, Hubert CRJ, Hrudey SE, Frankowski K, Pang XL. Wastewater-based surveillance as a tool for public health action: SARS-CoV-2 and beyond. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0010322. [PMID: 38095438 PMCID: PMC10938902 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00103-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has undergone dramatic advancement in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The power and potential of this platform technology were rapidly realized when it became evident that not only did WBS-measured SARS-CoV-2 RNA correlate strongly with COVID-19 clinical disease within monitored populations but also, in fact, it functioned as a leading indicator. Teams from across the globe rapidly innovated novel approaches by which wastewater could be collected from diverse sewersheds ranging from wastewater treatment plants (enabling community-level surveillance) to more granular locations including individual neighborhoods and high-risk buildings such as long-term care facilities (LTCF). Efficient processes enabled SARS-CoV-2 RNA extraction and concentration from the highly dilute wastewater matrix. Molecular and genomic tools to identify, quantify, and characterize SARS-CoV-2 and its various variants were adapted from clinical programs and applied to these mixed environmental systems. Novel data-sharing tools allowed this information to be mobilized and made immediately available to public health and government decision-makers and even the public, enabling evidence-informed decision-making based on local disease dynamics. WBS has since been recognized as a tool of transformative potential, providing near-real-time cost-effective, objective, comprehensive, and inclusive data on the changing prevalence of measured analytes across space and time in populations. However, as a consequence of rapid innovation from hundreds of teams simultaneously, tremendous heterogeneity currently exists in the SARS-CoV-2 WBS literature. This manuscript provides a state-of-the-art review of WBS as established with SARS-CoV-2 and details the current work underway expanding its scope to other infectious disease targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Parkins
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- O’Brien Institute of Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bonita E. Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nicole Acosta
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maria Bautista
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Casey R. J. Hubert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Steve E. Hrudey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kevin Frankowski
- Advancing Canadian Water Assets, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiao-Li Pang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Provincial Health Laboratory, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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15
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Pike J, Lueken J, Zajac J, Tippins A, Doss S, De Coteau A, Punjabi C, Souto M, Bhatt A. 2022 Polio outbreak, Rockland County, NY: Cost evaluation of strategies to prevent future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine 2024; 42:1793-1798. [PMID: 38368222 PMCID: PMC11345848 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
In 1994, the World Health Organization Region of the Americas was declared polio-free. In July 2022, a confirmed case of paralytic polio in an unvaccinated adult resident of Rockland County, New York was reported by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH). While only one case was identified, a single case of paralytic polio represents a public health emergency in the United States. The patient's county of residence was identified to have low vaccination coverage indicating that the community was at risk for additional cases. Disease outbreaks are resource-intensive and incur high costs to the patient, local health departments, and to society. These costs are potentially avoidable for vaccine-preventable diseases and thus, highlight the urgency to not only interrupt transmission but to prevent future vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks by improving vaccination coverage. Following case confirmation, an investigation and response was initiated by NYSDOH, along with local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). After the initial investigation and response, collaborative efforts to mitigate risk and strengthen routine immunization continued, which included provider outreach and immunization record assessments of Head Start and licensed childcare facilities (primarily those with missing or incomplete required vaccination coverage reports from the previous year) in Rockland County. We estimated the costs of (1) provider outreach and (2) childcare and pre-kindergarten immunization record assessments of select licensed childcare and Head Start facilities in Rockland County. The total labor cost incurred for these activities was $138,514 with a total of 2,555 h incurred. Often there are unique opportunities in the midst of an outbreak for public health to implement activities to proactively address low vaccination and strengthen vaccination coverage and possibly prevent future outbreaks. Understanding the cost of these activities might help inform future outbreak planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamison Pike
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - James Lueken
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julie Zajac
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ashley Tippins
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shani Doss
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Adina De Coteau
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Maria Souto
- Rockland County Department of Health, Rockland, NY, USA
| | - Achal Bhatt
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Immunization Services Division, Atlanta, GA, USA
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16
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Thompson KM, Kalkowska DA, Kidd SE, Burns CC, Badizadegan K. Trade-offs of different poliovirus vaccine options for outbreak response in the United States and other countries that only use inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) in routine immunization. Vaccine 2024; 42:819-827. [PMID: 38218668 PMCID: PMC10947589 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Delays in achieving polio eradication have led to ongoing risks of poliovirus importations that may cause outbreaks in polio-free countries. Because of the low, but non-zero risk of paralysis with oral poliovirus vaccines (OPVs), countries that achieve and maintain high national routine immunization coverage have increasingly shifted to exclusive use of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) for all preventive immunizations. However, immunization coverage within countries varies, with under-vaccinated subpopulations potentially able to sustain transmission of imported polioviruses and experience local outbreaks. Due to its cost, ease-of-use, and ability to induce mucosal immunity, using OPV as an outbreak control measure offers a more cost-effective option in countries in which OPV remains in use. However, recent polio outbreaks in IPV-only countries raise questions about whether and when IPV use for outbreak response may fail to stop poliovirus transmission and what consequences may follow from using OPV for outbreak response in these countries. We systematically reviewed the literature to identify modeling studies that explored the use of IPV for outbreak response in IPV-only countries. In addition, applying a model of the 2022 type 2 poliovirus outbreak in New York, we characterized the implications of using different OPV formulations for outbreak response instead of IPV. We also explored the hypothetical scenario of the same outbreak except for type 1 poliovirus instead of type 2. We find that using IPV for outbreak response will likely only stop outbreaks for polioviruses of relatively low transmission potential in countries with very high overall immunization coverage, seasonal transmission dynamics, and only if IPV immunization interventions reach some unvaccinated individuals. Using OPV for outbreak response in IPV-only countries poses substantial risks and challenges that require careful consideration, but may represent an option to consider for some outbreaks in some populations depending on the properties of the available vaccines and coverage attainable.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah E Kidd
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cara C Burns
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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17
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Kalkowska DA, Wiesen E, Wassilak SGF, Burns CC, Pallansch MA, Badizadegan K, Thompson KM. Worst-case scenarios: Modeling uncontrolled type 2 polio transmission. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2024; 44:379-389. [PMID: 37344376 PMCID: PMC10733542 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
In May 2016, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) coordinated the cessation of all use of type 2 oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV2), except for emergency outbreak response. Since then, paralytic polio cases caused by type 2 vaccine-derived polioviruses now exceed 3,000 cases reported by 39 countries. In 2022 (as of April 25, 2023), 20 countries reported detection of cases and nine other countries reported environmental surveillance detection, but no reported cases. Recent development of a genetically modified novel type 2 OPV (nOPV2) may help curb the generation of neurovirulent vaccine-derived strains; its use since 2021 under Emergency Use Listing is limited to outbreak response activities. Prior modeling studies showed that the expected trajectory for global type 2 viruses does not appear headed toward eradication, even with the best possible properties of nOPV2 assuming current outbreak response performance. Continued persistence of type 2 poliovirus transmission exposes the world to the risks of potentially high-consequence events such as the importation of virus into high-transmission areas of India or Bangladesh. Building on prior polio endgame modeling and assuming current national and GPEI outbreak response performance, we show no probability of successfully eradicating type 2 polioviruses in the near term regardless of vaccine choice. We also demonstrate the possible worst-case scenarios could result in rapid expansion of paralytic cases and preclude the goal of permanently ending all cases of poliomyelitis in the foreseeable future. Avoiding such catastrophic scenarios will depend on the development of strategies that raise population immunity to type 2 polioviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric Wiesen
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven G. F. Wassilak
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cara C. Burns
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark A. Pallansch
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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18
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Miyazawa S, Wong TS, Ito G, Iwamoto R, Watanabe K, van Boven M, Wallinga J, Miura F. Wastewater-based reproduction numbers and projections of COVID-19 cases in three areas in Japan, November 2021 to December 2022. Euro Surveill 2024; 29:2300277. [PMID: 38390648 PMCID: PMC10899819 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2024.29.8.2300277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BackgroundWastewater surveillance has expanded globally as a means to monitor spread of infectious diseases. An inherent challenge is substantial noise and bias in wastewater data because of the sampling and quantification process, limiting the applicability of wastewater surveillance as a monitoring tool.AimTo present an analytical framework for capturing the growth trend of circulating infections from wastewater data and conducting scenario analyses to guide policy decisions.MethodsWe developed a mathematical model for translating the observed SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater into effective reproduction numbers. We used an extended Kalman filter to infer underlying transmissions by smoothing out observational noise. We also illustrated the impact of different countermeasures such as expanded vaccinations and non-pharmaceutical interventions on the projected number of cases using three study areas in Japan during 2021-22 as an example.ResultsObserved notified cases were matched with the range of cases estimated by our approach with wastewater data only, across different study areas and virus quantification methods, especially when the disease prevalence was high. Estimated reproduction numbers derived from wastewater data were consistent with notification-based reproduction numbers. Our projections showed that a 10-20% increase in vaccination coverage or a 10% reduction in contact rate may suffice to initiate a declining trend in study areas.ConclusionOur study demonstrates how wastewater data can be used to track reproduction numbers and perform scenario modelling to inform policy decisions. The proposed framework complements conventional clinical surveillance, especially when reliable and timely epidemiological data are not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shogo Miyazawa
- Data Science Department, Shionogi and Co, Ltd, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ting Sam Wong
- SHIMADZU Corporation, Kyoto, Japan
- AdvanSentinel Inc., Osaka, Japan
| | - Genta Ito
- Data Science Department, Shionogi and Co, Ltd, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryo Iwamoto
- Integrated Disease Care Division, Shionogi and Co, Ltd, Osaka, Japan
- Data Science Department, Shionogi and Co, Ltd, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Ehime, Japan
| | - Michiel van Boven
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Jacco Wallinga
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Fuminari Miura
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Ehime, Japan
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19
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Kalkowska DA, Wassilak SGF, Wiesen E, Burns CC, Pallansch MA, Badizadegan K, Thompson KM. Coordinated global cessation of oral poliovirus vaccine use: Options and potential consequences. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2024; 44:366-378. [PMID: 37344934 PMCID: PMC10733544 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Due to the very low, but nonzero, paralysis risks associated with the use of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), eradicating poliomyelitis requires ending all OPV use globally. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) coordinated cessation of Sabin type 2 OPV (OPV2 cessation) in 2016, except for emergency outbreak response. However, as of early 2023, plans for cessation of bivalent OPV (bOPV, containing types 1 and 3 OPV) remain undefined, and OPV2 use for outbreak response continues due to ongoing transmission of type 2 polioviruses and reported type 2 cases. Recent development and use of a genetically stabilized novel type 2 OPV (nOPV2) leads to additional potential vaccine options and increasing complexity in strategies for the polio endgame. Prior applications of integrated global risk, economic, and poliovirus transmission modeling consistent with GPEI strategic plans that preceded OPV2 cessation explored OPV cessation dynamics and the evaluation of options to support globally coordinated risk management efforts. The 2022-2026 GPEI strategic plan highlighted the need for early bOPV cessation planning. We review the published modeling and explore bOPV cessation immunization options as of 2022, assuming that the GPEI partners will not support restart of the use of any OPV type in routine immunization after a globally coordinated cessation of such use. We model the potential consequences of globally coordinating bOPV cessation in 2027, as anticipated in the 2022-2026 GPEI strategic plan. We do not find any options for bOPV cessation likely to succeed without a strategy of bOPV intensification to increase population immunity prior to cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven G. F. Wassilak
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eric Wiesen
- Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cara C. Burns
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark A. Pallansch
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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20
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Krammer F. The role of vaccines in the COVID-19 pandemic: what have we learned? Semin Immunopathol 2024; 45:451-468. [PMID: 37436465 PMCID: PMC11136744 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-023-00996-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged late in 2019 and caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has so far claimed approximately 20 million lives. Vaccines were developed quickly, became available in the end of 2020, and had a tremendous impact on protection from SARS-CoV-2 mortality but with emerging variants the impact on morbidity was diminished. Here I review what we learned from COVID-19 from a vaccinologist's perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Vaccine Research and Pandemic Preparedness (C-VaRPP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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21
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Kalkowska DA, Badizadegan K, Routh JA, Burns CC, Rosenberg ES, Brenner IR, Zucker JR, Langdon-Embry M, Thompson KM. Modeling undetected poliovirus circulation following the 2022 outbreak in the United States. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:186-195. [PMID: 38164695 PMCID: PMC11284832 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2299401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND New York State (NYS) reported a polio case (June 2022) and outbreak of imported type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) (last positive wastewater detection in February 2023), for which uncertainty remains about potential ongoing undetected transmission. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Extending a prior deterministic model, we apply an established stochastic modeling approach to characterize the confidence about no circulation (CNC) of cVDPV2 as a function of time since the last detected signal of transmission (i.e. poliovirus positive acute flaccid myelitis case or wastewater sample). RESULTS With the surveillance coverage for the NYS population majority and its focus on outbreak counties, modeling suggests a high CNC (95%) within 3-10 months of the last positive surveillance signal, depending on surveillance sensitivity and population mixing patterns. Uncertainty about surveillance sensitivity implies longer durations required to achieve higher CNC. CONCLUSIONS In populations that maintain high overall immunization coverage with inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), rare polio cases may occur in un(der)-vaccinated individuals. Modeling demonstrates the unlikeliness of type 2 outbreaks reestablishing endemic transmission or resulting in large absolute numbers of paralytic cases. Achieving and maintaining high immunization coverage with IPV remains the most effective measure to prevent outbreaks and shorten the duration of imported poliovirus transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Janell A. Routh
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cara C. Burns
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eli S. Rosenberg
- Office of Public Health, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - I. Ravi Brenner
- Office of Public Health, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Jane R. Zucker
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA
- Immunization Services Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Kimberly M. Thompson
- Kid Risk, Inc, Orlando, FL, USA
- Department of Public Health, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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22
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Maal-Bared R, Brisolara K, Knight M, Mansfeldt C. To sample or not to sample: A governance-focused decision tree for wastewater service providers considering participation in wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) in support of public health programs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167128. [PMID: 37722431 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides value to public health monitoring and protection. Participation of public and private wastewater system operators in WBE efforts is critical to public health surveillance program success and sustainability. However, given the number of WBE solicitations wastewater service providers receive, the limitation of service provider resources, the concerns around privacy, ethics, and equity, and the fatigue associated with responding to COVID-19, operators are becoming more hesitant to participate in WBE efforts. While various ethical concerns and sustainability challenges associated with WBE have been documented, no efforts to date have investigated what factors should systematically influence the decision to provide samples to a WBE effort. Therefore, this study develops a decision-making tool for WBE teams to proactively monitor, manage, and avoid wastewater system operators' operational risks and potential liabilities. Ultimately, using this tool allows WBE program partners in academia, government, and industry to better understand wastewater system operators' needs and challenges surrounding data quality and use, public health ethics, and daily wastewater infrastructure operation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kari Brisolara
- LSUHSC, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier St, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Mark Knight
- LuminUltra Technologies Ltd, 520 King St, Fredericton, NB E3B 6G3, Canada.
| | - Cresten Mansfeldt
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, USA; Environmental Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, USA.
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23
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Kidd S, Clark T, Routh J, Cineas S, Bahta L, Brooks O. Use of Inactivated Polio Vaccine Among U.S. Adults: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2023. MMWR. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2023; 72:1327-1330. [PMID: 38060431 PMCID: PMC10715822 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7249a3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Poliovirus can cause poliomyelitis and lifelong paralysis. Although wild poliovirus types 2 and 3 have been eradicated, wild poliovirus type 1 and vaccine-derived polioviruses are still circulating in multiple countries worldwide. In 2022, a case of paralytic polio caused by vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was identified in an unvaccinated young adult in New York. This case and subsequent detection of community transmission underscored the ongoing risk for importation of poliovirus into the United States and risk for poliomyelitis among unvaccinated persons. However, previous Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for adult polio vaccination were limited to adults known to be at increased risk for exposure. During October 2022-June 2023, the ACIP Polio Vaccine Work Group reviewed data on poliovirus surveillance and epidemiology, safety and effectiveness of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), and other considerations outlined in the ACIP Evidence to Recommendations Framework. On June 21, 2023, ACIP voted to recommend that all U.S. adults aged ≥18 years who are known or suspected to be unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated against polio complete a primary polio vaccination series with IPV. This report summarizes evidence considered for this recommendation and provides clinical guidance for the use of IPV in adults.
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24
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Schmiege D, Kraiselburd I, Haselhoff T, Thomas A, Doerr A, Gosch J, Schoth J, Teichgräber B, Moebus S, Meyer F. Analyzing community wastewater in sub-sewersheds for the small-scale detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in a German metropolitan area. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165458. [PMID: 37454854 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 proved useful, including for identifying the local appearance of newly identified virus variants. Previous studies focused on wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) with sewersheds of several hundred thousand people or at single building level, representing only a small number of people. Both approaches may prove inadequate for small-scale intra-urban inferences for early detection of emerging or novel virus variants. Our study aims (i) to analyze SARS-CoV-2 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in wastewater of sub-sewersheds and WWTP using whole genome sequencing in order to (ii) investigate the potential of small-scale detection of novel known SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) within a metropolitan wastewater system. We selected three sub-sewershed sampling sites, based on estimated population- and built environment-related indicators, and the inlet of the receiving WWTP in the Ruhr region, Germany. Untreated wastewater was sampled weekly between October and December 2021, with a total of 22 samples collected. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was analyzed by RT-qPCR and whole genome sequencing. For all samples, genome sequences were obtained, while only 13 samples were positive for RT-qPCR. We identified multiple specific SARS-CoV-2 SNVs in the wastewater samples of the sub-sewersheds and the WWTP. Identified SNVs reflected the dominance of VOC Delta at the time of sampling. Interestingly, we could identify an Omicron-specific SNV in one sub-sewershed. A concurrent wastewater study sampling the same WWTP detected the VOC Omicron one week later. Our observations suggest that the small-scale approach may prove particularly useful for the detection and description of spatially confined emerging or existing virus variants circulating in populations. Future studies applying small-scale sampling strategies taking into account the specific features of the wastewater system will be useful to analyze temporal and spatial variance in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Schmiege
- Institute for Urban Public Health (InUPH), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45130 Essen, Germany.
| | - Ivana Kraiselburd
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45131 Essen, Germany
| | - Timo Haselhoff
- Institute for Urban Public Health (InUPH), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45130 Essen, Germany
| | - Alexander Thomas
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45131 Essen, Germany
| | - Adrian Doerr
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45131 Essen, Germany
| | - Jule Gosch
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45131 Essen, Germany
| | - Jens Schoth
- Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband, Kronprinzenstraße 24, 45128 Essen, Germany
| | | | - Susanne Moebus
- Institute for Urban Public Health (InUPH), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45130 Essen, Germany
| | - Folker Meyer
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (IKIM), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45131 Essen, Germany
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25
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Kao CM, Michaels MG. Approach to vaccinating the pediatric solid organ transplant candidate and recipient. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1271065. [PMID: 38027303 PMCID: PMC10663229 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1271065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Solid organ transplantation (SOT) candidates and recipients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable infections. Children are at particular risk given that they may not have completed their primary immunization series at time of transplant or have acquired natural immunity to pathogens from community exposures. Multiple society guidelines exist for vaccination of SOT candidate and recipients, although challenges remain given limited safety and efficacy data available for pediatric SOT recipients, particularly for live-vaccines. After transplant, individual patient nuances regarding exposure risks and net state of immunosuppression will impact timing of immunizations. The purpose of this review is to provide readers with a concise, practical, expert-opinion on the approach to vaccinating the SOT candidate and recipient and to supplement existing guidelines. In addition, pediatric-specific knowledge gaps in the field and future research priorities will be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol M. Kao
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Marian G. Michaels
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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26
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Neyra M, Hill DT, Bennett LJ, Dunham CN, Larsen DA. Establishing a Statewide Wastewater Surveillance System in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Reliable Model for Continuous and Emerging Public Health Threats. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND PRACTICE 2023; 29:854-862. [PMID: 37566797 PMCID: PMC10549888 DOI: 10.1097/phh.0000000000001797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The COVID-19 pandemic sparked efforts across the globe to implement wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2. PROGRAM New York State (NYS) established the NYS Wastewater Surveillance Network to estimate the levels of COVID-19 community risk and to provide an early indication of SARS-CoV-2 transmission trends. The network is designed to provide a better understanding of public health burdens and to assist health departments to respond effectively to public health threats. IMPLEMENTATION Wastewater surveillance across NYS increased from sporadic and geographically spare in 2020 to routine and widespread in 2022, reaching all 62 counties in the state and covering 74% of New Yorkers. The network team focused on engaging local health departments and wastewater treatment plants to provide wastewater samples, which are then analyzed through a network-affiliated laboratory. Both participating local health departments and wastewater treatment plants receive weekly memos on current SARS-CoV-2 trends and levels. The data are also made publicly available at the state dashboard. EVALUATION Using standard indicators to evaluate infectious disease surveillance systems, the NYS Wastewater Surveillance Network was assessed for accuracy, timeliness, and completeness during the first year of operations. We observed 96.5% sensitivity of wastewater to identify substantial/high COVID-19 transmission and 99% specificity to identify low COVID-19 transmission. In total, 80% of results were reported within 1 day of sample collection and were published on the public dashboard within 2 days of sample collection. Among participating wastewater treatment plants, 32.5% provided weekly samples with zero missing data, 31% missed 1 or 2 weeks, and 36.5% missed 3 or more weeks. DISCUSSION The NYS Wastewater Surveillance Network continues to be a key component of the state and local health departments' pandemic response. The network fosters prompt public health actions through real-time data, enhancing the preparedness capability for both existing and emerging public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milagros Neyra
- Department of Public Health at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Ms Neyra and Drs Hill and Larsen); School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Mr Dunham); New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York (Ms Bennett); and CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia (Ms Bennett)
| | - Dustin T. Hill
- Department of Public Health at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Ms Neyra and Drs Hill and Larsen); School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Mr Dunham); New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York (Ms Bennett); and CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia (Ms Bennett)
| | - Lydia J. Bennett
- Department of Public Health at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Ms Neyra and Drs Hill and Larsen); School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Mr Dunham); New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York (Ms Bennett); and CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia (Ms Bennett)
| | - Christopher N. Dunham
- Department of Public Health at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Ms Neyra and Drs Hill and Larsen); School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Mr Dunham); New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York (Ms Bennett); and CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia (Ms Bennett)
| | - David A. Larsen
- Department of Public Health at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Ms Neyra and Drs Hill and Larsen); School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York (Mr Dunham); New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York (Ms Bennett); and CDC Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia (Ms Bennett)
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27
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Bubba L, Benschop KSM, Blomqvist S, Duizer E, Martin J, Shaw AG, Bailly JL, Rasmussen LD, Baicus A, Fischer TK, Harvala H. Wastewater Surveillance in Europe for Non-Polio Enteroviruses and Beyond. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2496. [PMID: 37894154 PMCID: PMC10608818 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance (WWS) was developed in the early 1960s for the detection of poliovirus (PV) circulation in the population. It has been used to monitor several pathogens, including non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs), which are increasingly recognised as causes of morbidity in children. However, when applying WWS to a new pathogen, it is important to consider the purpose of such a study as well as the suitability of the chosen methodology. With this purpose, the European Non-Polio Enterovirus Network (ENPEN) organised an expert webinar to discuss its history, methods, and applications; its evolution from a culture-based method to molecular detection; and future implementation of next generation sequencing (NGS). The first simulation experiments with PV calculated that a 400 mL sewage sample is sufficient for the detection of viral particles if 1:10,000 people excrete poliovirus in a population of 700,000 people. If the method is applied correctly, several NPEV types are detected. Despite culture-based methods remaining the gold standard for WWS, direct methods followed by molecular-based and sequence-based assays have been developed, not only for enterovirus but for several pathogens. Along with case-based sentinel and/or syndromic surveillance, WWS for NPEV and other pathogens represents an inexpensive, flexible, anonymised, reliable, population-based tool for monitoring outbreaks and the (re)emergence of these virus types/strains within the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bubba
- European Non-Polio Enterovirus Network (E.N.P.E.N.), 1207 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kimberley S. M. Benschop
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (K.S.M.B.); (E.D.)
| | - Soile Blomqvist
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 95, 70701 Kuopio, Finland;
| | - Erwin Duizer
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands; (K.S.M.B.); (E.D.)
| | - Javier Martin
- Division of Vaccines, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Potters Bar EN6 3QG, UK;
| | - Alexander G. Shaw
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
- Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BX, UK
| | - Jean-Luc Bailly
- Laboratoire Micro-Organismes Genome Environnement (LMGE), Université Clermont Auvergne CNRS, 63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France;
| | - Lasse D. Rasmussen
- Virus Surveillance and Research Section Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Anda Baicus
- Enteric Viral Infections Laboratory, Cantacuzino National Institute for Medical-Military Research and Development, 020123 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Thea K. Fischer
- Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital of Nordsjaelland, 3400 Hilleroed, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1172 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Heli Harvala
- Microbiology Services National Health Service (NHS) Blood and Transplant, London NW9 5BG, UK;
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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28
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Holm RH, Pocock G, Severson MA, Huber VC, Smith T, McFadden LM. Using wastewater to overcome health disparities among rural residents. GEOFORUM; JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL, HUMAN, AND REGIONAL GEOSCIENCES 2023; 144:103816. [PMID: 37396346 PMCID: PMC10292026 DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2023.103816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic highlighted the need for novel tools to promote health equity. There has been a historical legacy around the location and allocation of public facilities (such as health care) focused on efficiency, which is not attainable in rural, low-density, United States areas. Differences in the spread of the disease and outcomes of infections have been observed between urban and rural populations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this article was to review rural health disparities related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic while using evidence to support wastewater surveillance as a potentially innovative tool to address these disparities more widely. The successful implementation of wastewater surveillance in resource-limited settings in South Africa demonstrates the ability to monitor disease in underserved areas. A better surveillance model of disease detection among rural residents will overcome issues around the interactions of a disease and social determinants of health. Wastewater surveillance can be used to promote health equity, particularly in rural and resource-limited areas, and has the potential to identify future global outbreaks of endemic and pandemic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle H Holm
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, United States
| | - Gina Pocock
- Waterlab, 23B De Havilland Crescent, 0020 Persequor Technopark, South Africa
| | - Marie A Severson
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, United States
| | - Victor C Huber
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, United States
| | - Ted Smith
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202, United States
| | - Lisa M McFadden
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, United States
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29
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de Melo T, Islam G, Simmons DBD, Desaulniers JP, Kirkwood AE. An alternative method for monitoring and interpreting influenza A in communities using wastewater surveillance. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1141136. [PMID: 37575124 PMCID: PMC10413874 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1141136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal influenza is an annual public health challenge that strains healthcare systems, yet population-level prevalence remains under-reported using standard clinical surveillance methods. Wastewater surveillance (WWS) of influenza A can allow for reliable flu surveillance within a community by leveraging existing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) WWS networks regardless of the sample type (primary sludge vs. primary influent) using an RT-qPCR-based viral RNA detection method for both targets. Additionally, current influenza A outbreaks disproportionately affect the pediatric population. In this study, we show the utility of interpreting influenza A WWS data with elementary student absenteeism due to illness to selectively interpret disease spread in the pediatric population. Our results show that the highest statistically significant correlation (Rs = 0.96, p = 0.011) occurred between influenza A WWS data and elementary school absences due to illness. This correlation coefficient is notably higher than the correlations observed between influenza A WWS data and influenza A clinical case data (Rs = 0.79, p = 0.036). This method can be combined with a suite of pathogen data from wastewater to provide a robust system for determining the causative agents of diseases that are strongly symptomatic in children to infer pediatric outbreaks within communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Golam Islam
- Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, Canada
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30
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Kasstan B, Mounier-Jack S, Chantler T, Masters N, Flores SA, Stokley S, Meek H, Easton D, De Luna-Evans T, Souto M, Punjabi C, Ruppert PS, Rosenberg E, Routh J. Poliovirus outbreak in New York State, August 2022: qualitative assessment of immediate public health responses and priorities for improving vaccine coverage. Epidemiol Infect 2023; 151:e120. [PMID: 37435800 PMCID: PMC10468811 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268823001127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2022, a case of paralysis was reported in an unvaccinated adult in Rockland County (RC), New York. Genetically linked detections of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) were reported in multiple New York counties, England, Israel, and Canada. The aims of this qualitative study were to: i) review immediate public health responses in New York to assess the challenges in addressing gaps in vaccination coverage; ii) inform a longer-term strategy to improving vaccination coverage in under-vaccinated communities, and iii) collect data to support comparative evaluations of transnational poliovirus outbreaks. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with public health professionals, healthcare professionals, and community partners. Results indicate that i) addressing suboptimal vaccination coverage in RC remains a significant challenge after recent disease outbreaks; ii) the poliovirus outbreak was not unexpected and effort should be invested to engage mothers, the key decision-makers on childhood vaccination; iii) healthcare providers (especially paediatricians) received technical support during the outbreak, and may require resources and guidance to effectively contribute to longer-term vaccine engagement strategies; vi) data systems strengthening is required to help track under-vaccinated children. Public health departments should prioritize long-term investments in appropriate communication strategies, countering misinformation, and promoting the importance of the routine immunization schedule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Kasstan
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- The Vaccine Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sandra Mounier-Jack
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- The Vaccine Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Tracey Chantler
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- The Vaccine Centre, Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Nina Masters
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Epidemic Intelligence Service, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stephen A Flores
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shannon Stokley
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Haillie Meek
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Epidemic Intelligence Service, Atlanta, GA, USA
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Delia Easton
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | | | - Maria Souto
- Rockland County Department of Health, Pomona, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Eli Rosenberg
- New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Janell Routh
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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31
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Yeh MT, Smith M, Carlyle S, Konopka-Anstadt JL, Burns CC, Konz J, Andino R, Macadam A. Genetic stabilization of attenuated oral vaccines against poliovirus types 1 and 3. Nature 2023; 619:135-142. [PMID: 37316671 PMCID: PMC10322712 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06212-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Vaccination with Sabin, a live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV), results in robust intestinal and humoral immunity and has been key to controlling poliomyelitis. As with any RNA virus, OPV evolves rapidly to lose attenuating determinants critical to the reacquisition of virulence1-3 resulting in vaccine-derived, virulent poliovirus variants. Circulation of these variants within underimmunized populations leads to further evolution of circulating, vaccine-derived poliovirus with higher transmission capacity, representing a significant risk of polio re-emergence. A new type 2 OPV (nOPV2), with promising clinical data on genetic stability and immunogenicity, recently received authorization from the World Health Organization for use in response to circulating, vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks. Here we report the development of two additional live attenuated vaccine candidates against type 1 and 3 polioviruses. The candidates were generated by replacing the capsid coding region of nOPV2 with that from Sabin 1 or 3. These chimeric viruses show growth phenotypes similar to nOPV2 and immunogenicity comparable to their parental Sabin strains, but are more attenuated. Our experiments in mice and deep sequencing analysis confirmed that the candidates remain attenuated and preserve all the documented nOPV2 characteristics concerning genetic stability following accelerated virus evolution. Importantly, these vaccine candidates are highly immunogenic in mice as monovalent and multivalent formulations and may contribute to poliovirus eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Te Yeh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew Smith
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, UK
| | - Sarah Carlyle
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, UK
| | - Jennifer L Konopka-Anstadt
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cara C Burns
- Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John Konz
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raul Andino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Andrew Macadam
- National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, UK.
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Kuchipudi SV, Tan C, van Dorp L, Lichtveld M, Pickering B, Bowman J, Mubareka S, Balloux F. Coordinated surveillance is essential to monitor and mitigate the evolutionary impacts of SARS-CoV-2 spillover and circulation in animal hosts. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:956-959. [PMID: 37231305 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02082-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Suresh V Kuchipudi
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Cedric Tan
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Lucy van Dorp
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Maureen Lichtveld
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bradley Pickering
- National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jeff Bowman
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samira Mubareka
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Brüssow H. Viral infections at the animal-human interface-Learning lessons from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1397-1411. [PMID: 37338856 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This Lilliput explores the current epidemiological and virological arguments for a zoonotic origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the role of bats, pangolins and racoon dogs as viral reservoirs has not yet been proven, a spill-over of a coronavirus infection from animals into humans at the Huanan food market in Wuhan has a much greater plausibility than alternative hypotheses such as a laboratory virus escape, deliberate genetic engineering or introduction by cold chain food products. This Lilliput highlights the dynamic nature of the animal-human interface for viral cross-infections from humans into feral white tail deer or farmed minks (reverse zoonosis). Surveillance of viral infections at the animal-human interface is an urgent task since live animal markets are not the only risks for future viral spill-overs. Climate change will induce animal migration which leads to viral exchanges between animal species that have not met in the past. Environmental change and deforestation will also increase contact between animals and humans. Developing an early warning system for emerging viral infections becomes thus a societal necessity not only for human but also for animal and environmental health (One Health concept). Microbiologists have developed tools ranging from virome analysis in key suspects such as viral reservoirs (bats, wild game animals, bushmeat) and in humans exposed to wild animals, to wastewater analysis to detect known and unknown viruses circulating in the human population and sentinel studies in animal-exposed patients with fever. Criteria need to be developed to assess the virulence and transmissibility of zoonotic viruses. An early virus warning system is costly and will need political lobbying. The accelerating number of viral infections with pandemic potential over the last decades should provide the public pressure to extend pandemic preparedness for the inclusion of early viral alert systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Brüssow
- Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Ou G, Tang Y, Niu S, Wu L, Li S, Yang Y, Wang J, Peng Y, Huang C, Hu W, Hu Q, Li Y, Ping Y, Lin C, Yu B, Han Q, Hao Y, Luo Z, Tian W, Zhang H, Liu Y. Wastewater surveillance and an automated robot: effectively tracking SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the post-epidemic era. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad089. [PMID: 37181088 PMCID: PMC10171627 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has exhibited great utility in the early and rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2. However, the efficacy of wastewater surveillance under China's previous strict epidemic prevention policy remains to be described. We collected the WBE data of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen and several communities to determine the significant effectiveness of routine wastewater surveillance in monitoring the local spread of SARS-CoV-2 under tight containment of the epidemic. The results of 1 month of continuous wastewater surveillance showed that positive signals for SARS-CoV-2 RNA were detected in the wastewater samples, and a significant positive correlation was observed between the virus concentration and the number of daily cases. In addition, the community's domestic wastewater surveillance results were confirmed even 3 days before, or simultaneously with, the infected patient being confirmed as having the virus. Meanwhile, an automated sewage virus detection robot, ShenNong No.1 robot, was developed, showing a high degree of agreement with experimental data, offering the possibility of large-scale multi-point surveillance. Overall, our results illustrated the clear indicative role of wastewater surveillance in combating COVID-19 and provided a practical basis for rapidly expanding the feasibility and value of routine wastewater surveillance for future emerging infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanyong Ou
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuxuan Tang
- International Collaborative Laboratory of 2D Materials for Optoelectronics Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Shiyu Niu
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liwen Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shaxi Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Yang Yang
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Jun Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Yun Peng
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Chuanfu Huang
- Shenzhen Longhua Drainage Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wei Hu
- Shenzhen Longhua Drainage Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Qinghua Hu
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yinghui Li
- Microbiology Laboratory, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yang Ping
- Power China Eco-Environmental Group Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518102, China
| | - Chao Lin
- Shenzhen Water Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518022, China
| | - Boping Yu
- Shenzhen Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
| | - Qi Han
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Solid Wastes and Physical Environment Research, Shenzhen Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
| | - Yabin Hao
- Shenzhen Metasensing Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Zhiguang Luo
- Zhongmin (Shenzhen) intelligent ecology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wende Tian
- Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Han Zhang
- International Collaborative Laboratory of 2D Materials for Optoelectronics Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yingxia Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, State Key Discipline of Infectious Disease, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Second Hospital Affiliated to Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
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Kim CY, Piamonte B, Allen R, Thakur KT. Threat of resurgence or hope for global eradication of poliovirus? Curr Opin Neurol 2023; 36:229-237. [PMID: 37078665 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Recent outbreaks of poliomyelitis in countries that have been free of cases for decades highlight the challenges of eradicating polio in a globalized interconnected world beset with a novel viral pandemic. We provide an epidemiological update, advancements in vaccines, and amendments in public health strategy of poliomyelitis in this review. RECENT FINDINGS Last year, new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were documented in regions previously documented to have eradicated WPV1 and reports of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) and 3 (cVDPV3) in New York and Jerusalem made international headlines. Sequencing of wastewater samples from environmental surveillance revealed that the WPV1 strains were related to WPV1 lineages from endemic countries and the cVDPV2 strains from New York and Jerusalem were not only related to each other but also to environmental isolates found in London. The evidence of importation of WPV1 cases from endemic countries, and global transmission of cVDPVs justifies renewed efforts in routine vaccination programs and outbreak control measures that were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After the novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) received emergency authorization for containment of cVDPV2 outbreaks in 2021, subsequent reduced incidence, transmission rates, and vaccine adverse events, alongside increased genetic stability of viral isolates substantiates the safety and efficacy of nOPV2. The nOPV1 and nOPV3 vaccines, against type 1 and 3 cVDPVs, and measures to increase accessibility and efficacy of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) are in development. SUMMARY A revised strategy utilizing more genetically stable vaccine formulations, with uninterrupted vaccination programs and continued active surveillance optimizes the prospect of global poliomyelitis eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Y Kim
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bernadeth Piamonte
- University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Philippines
| | - Rebecca Allen
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Kiran T Thakur
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA
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36
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Bigouette JP, Henderson E, Traoré MA, Wassilak SGF, Jorba J, Mahoney F, Bolu O, Diop OM, Burns CC. Update on Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Outbreaks - Worldwide, January 2021-December 2022. MMWR. MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT 2023; 72:366-371. [PMID: 37022974 PMCID: PMC10078846 DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7214a3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) outbreaks* can occur when oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV, containing one or more Sabin-strain serotypes 1, 2, and 3) strains undergo prolonged circulation in under-vaccinated populations, resulting in genetically reverted neurovirulent virus (1,2). Following declaration of the eradication of wild poliovirus type 2 in 2015 and the global synchronized switch from trivalent OPV (tOPV, containing Sabin-strain types 1, 2, and 3) to bivalent OPV (bOPV, containing types 1 and 3 only) for routine immunization activities† in April 2016 (3), cVDPV type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreaks have been reported worldwide (4). During 2016-2020, immunization responses to cVDPV2 outbreaks required use of Sabin-strain monovalent OPV2, but new VDPV2 emergences could occur if campaigns did not reach a sufficiently high proportion of children. Novel oral poliovirus vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), a more genetically stable vaccine than Sabin OPV2, was developed to address the risk for reversion to neurovirulence and became available in 2021. Because of the predominant use of nOPV2 during the reporting period, supply replenishment has frequently been insufficient for prompt response campaigns (5). This report describes global cVDPV outbreaks during January 2021-December 2022 (as of February 14, 2023) and updates previous reports (4). During 2021-2022, there were 88 active cVDPV outbreaks, including 76 (86%) caused by cVDPV2. cVDPV outbreaks affected 46 countries, 17 (37%) of which reported their first post-switch cVDPV2 outbreak. The total number of paralytic cVDPV cases during 2020-2022 decreased by 36%, from 1,117 to 715; however, the proportion of all cVDPV cases that were caused by cVDPV type 1 (cVDPV1) increased from 3% in 2020 to 18% in 2022, including the occurrence of cocirculating cVDPV1 and cVDPV2 outbreaks in two countries. The increased proportion of cVDPV1 cases follows a substantial decrease in global routine immunization coverage and suspension of preventive immunization campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022) (6); outbreak responses in some countries were also suboptimal. Improving routine immunization coverage, strengthening poliovirus surveillance, and conducting timely and high-quality supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in response to cVDPV outbreaks are needed to interrupt cVDPV transmission and reach the goal of no cVDPV isolations in 2024.
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37
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Brüssow H. The human microbiome project at ten years - some critical comments and reflections on "our third genome", the human virome. MICROBIOME RESEARCH REPORTS 2023; 2:7. [PMID: 38045612 PMCID: PMC10688805 DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2022.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The Human Microbiome Project (HMP) has raised great expectations claiming the far-reaching influence of the microbiome on human health and disease ranging from obesity and malnutrition to effects going well beyond the gut. So far, with the notable exception of fecal microbiota transplantation in Clostridioides difficile infection, practical application of microbiome intervention has only achieved modest clinical effects. It is argued here that we need criteria for the link between microbiome and disease modelled on the links between pathogens and infectious disease in Koch's postulates. The most important question is whether the microbiome change is a cause of the given disease or a consequence of a pathology leading to disease where the microbiome change is only a parallel event without a causal connection to the disease - in philosophical parlance, an epiphenomenon. Also discussed here is whether human virome research is a necessary complement to the microbiome project with a high potential for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Brüssow
- KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Gene Technology, Leuven B-3001, Belgium
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38
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Wade MJ, Bunce JT, Petterson S, Ferguson C, Del Campo NC, Gaddis E, Karanis P. Editorial: Wastewater-based epidemiology at the frontier of global public health. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2023; 21:iii-vi. [PMID: 37338311 PMCID: wh_2023_001 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Wade
- Analytics & Data Science Directorate, UK Health Security Agency, Nobel House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua T Bunce
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Petterson
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, North Sydney, 2060, Australia
| | | | - Nohelia Castro Del Campo
- Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Carretera a Eldorado k.m. 5.5 Campo El Diez, C.P. 80110. Culiacán, Sinaloa, México
| | - Erica Gaddis
- SWCA Environmental Consultants, 257 East 200 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, USA
| | - Panagiotos Karanis
- Unit of Anatomy and Morphology, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, 2414 Engomi, CY-1700, Nicosia, Cyprus
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39
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Gitter A, Oghuan J, Godbole AR, Chavarria CA, Monserrat C, Hu T, Wang Y, Maresso AW, Hanson BM, Mena KD, Wu F. Not a waste: Wastewater surveillance to enhance public health. FRONTIERS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fceng.2022.1112876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Domestic wastewater, when collected and evaluated appropriately, can provide valuable health-related information for a community. As a relatively unbiased and non-invasive approach, wastewater surveillance may complement current practices towards mitigating risks and protecting population health. Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater programs are now widely implemented to monitor viral infection trends in sewersheds and inform public health decision-making. This review summarizes recent developments in wastewater-based epidemiology for detecting and monitoring communicable infectious diseases, dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, and illicit drug consumption. Wastewater surveillance, a quickly advancing Frontier in environmental science, is becoming a new tool to enhance public health, improve disease prevention, and respond to future epidemics and pandemics.
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40
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Clark JR, Terwilliger A, Avadhanula V, Tisza M, Cormier J, Javornik-Cregeen S, Ross MC, Hoffman KL, Troisi C, Hanson B, Petrosino J, Balliew J, Piedra PA, Rios J, Deegan J, Bauer C, Wu F, Mena KD, Boerwinkle E, Maresso AW. Wastewater pandemic preparedness: Toward an end-to-end pathogen monitoring program. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1137881. [PMID: 37026145 PMCID: PMC10070845 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1137881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular analysis of public wastewater has great potential as a harbinger for community health and health threats. Long-used to monitor the presence of enteric viruses, in particular polio, recent successes of wastewater as a reliable lead indicator for trends in SARS-CoV-2 levels and hospital admissions has generated optimism and emerging evidence that similar science can be applied to other pathogens of pandemic potential (PPPs), especially respiratory viruses and their variants of concern (VOC). However, there are substantial challenges associated with implementation of this ideal, namely that multiple and distinct fields of inquiry must be bridged and coordinated. These include engineering, molecular sciences, temporal-geospatial analytics, epidemiology and medical, and governmental and public health messaging, all of which present their own caveats. Here, we outline a framework for an integrated, state-wide, end-to-end human pathogen monitoring program using wastewater to track viral PPPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R. Clark
- TAILOR Labs, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Austen Terwilliger
- TAILOR Labs, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Vasanthi Avadhanula
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Michael Tisza
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, CMMR, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Juwan Cormier
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, CMMR, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Sara Javornik-Cregeen
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, CMMR, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Matthew Clayton Ross
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, CMMR, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Kristi Louise Hoffman
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, CMMR, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Catherine Troisi
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Blake Hanson
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Joseph Petrosino
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research, CMMR, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - John Balliew
- El Paso Water Utility, El Paso, TX, United States
| | - Pedro A. Piedra
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Pediatrics Department, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Janelle Rios
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jennifer Deegan
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Cici Bauer
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Fuqing Wu
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Kristina D. Mena
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Eric Boerwinkle
- UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI), UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Anthony W. Maresso
- TAILOR Labs, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Anthony W. Maresso
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41
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John TJ, Dharmapalan D. Lessons from Vaccine-Related Poliovirus in Israel, UK and USA. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1969. [PMID: 36423064 PMCID: PMC9695509 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants of vaccine poliovirus type 2, imported from an unknown source, were detected in waste waters in Jerusalem, London and New York in early 2022. Wild poliovirus type 2 was globally eradicated in 1999, but vaccine virus type 2 continued for 16 more years; routine use of the vaccine was discontinued in 2016 and reintroduced occasionally on purpose. As an unintended consequence, type 2 vaccine virus variants (circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses, cVDPVs) that mimic wild viruses' contagiousness and neurovirulence, have been emerging and spreading. To illustrate, in just the past four years (2018-2021), 2296 children developed cVDPV polio in 35 low-income countries. Many assume that virus transmission is via the faecal-oral route. Sustained virus transmission was documented in London and New York, in spite of high standards of sanitation and hygiene. Here, virus transmission cannot be attributed to faecal contamination of food or drinking water (for faecal-oral transmission). Hence, contagious transmission can only be explained by inhalation of droplets/aerosol containing virus shed in pharyngeal fluids (respiratory transmission), as was the classical teaching of polio epidemiology. If transmission efficiency of VDPV is via the respiratory route where hygiene is good, it stands to reason that it is the same case in countries with poor hygiene, since poor hygiene cannot be a barrier against respiratory transmission. By extrapolation, the extreme transmission efficiency of wild polioviruses must also have been due to their ability to exploit respiratory route transmission. These lessons have implications for global polio eradication. It was as a result of assuming faecal-oral transmission that eradication was attempted with live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV), ignoring its safety problems and very low efficacy in low-income countries. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) is completely safe and highly efficacious in protecting children against polio, with just three routine doses. Protecting all children from polio must be the interim goal of eradication, until poliovirus circulation dies out under sustained immunisation pressure. OPV should be discontinued under cover of immunity induced by IPV to stop the emergence of new lineages of VDPVs, not only type 2, but also types 1 and 3, to expedite the completion of polio eradication.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Jacob John
- Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dhanya Dharmapalan
- Department of Pediatrics, Apollo Hospitals, CBD Belapur, Navi, Mumbai 400614, Maharashtra, India
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