Working PaperCommunicationVersion 2This version is not peer-reviewed
Sars-Cov-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action: Connecting Perspectives From Wastewater Researchers and Public Health Officials During a Global Pandemic
Version 1
: Received: 3 April 2021 / Approved: 6 April 2021 / Online: 6 April 2021 (10:15:25 CEST)
Version 2
: Received: 4 June 2021 / Approved: 7 June 2021 / Online: 7 June 2021 (13:01:18 CEST)
McClary-Gutierrez, J. S., Mattioli, M. C., Marcenac, P., Silverman, A. I., Boehm, A. B., Bibby, K....McLellan, S. L. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(9), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2709.210753.
McClary-Gutierrez, J. S., Mattioli, M. C., Marcenac, P., Silverman, A. I., Boehm, A. B., Bibby, K....McLellan, S. L. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(9), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2709.210753.
McClary-Gutierrez, J. S., Mattioli, M. C., Marcenac, P., Silverman, A. I., Boehm, A. B., Bibby, K....McLellan, S. L. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(9), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2709.210753.
McClary-Gutierrez, J. S., Mattioli, M. C., Marcenac, P., Silverman, A. I., Boehm, A. B., Bibby, K....McLellan, S. L. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(9), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2709.210753.
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 has garnered extensive public attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as a proposed complement to existing disease surveillance systems. Over the past year, methods for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in untreated sewage have advanced, and concentrations in wastewater have been shown to correlate with trends in reported cases. Despite the promise of wastewater surveillance, for these measurements to translate into useful public health tools, it is necessary to bridge the communication and knowledge gaps between researchers and public health responders. Here we describe the key uses, barriers, and applicability of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance for supporting public health decisions and actions, including establishing ethical consideration for monitoring. Overall, while wastewater surveillance to assess community infections is not a new idea, by addressing these barriers, the COVID-19 pandemic may be the initiating event that turns this emerging public health tool into a sustainable nationwide surveillance system.
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2; wastewater surveillance
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Water Science and Technology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Commenter: Sandra McLellan
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author