Research methods needed for wastewater surveillance to determine the incidence of COVID-19 in the community. Credit: Science of the total environment (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176702
Wastewater surveillance has received attention as an effective method for monitoring regional infection trends. In July 2024, the National Action Plan for New Influenza etc. included the regular implementation of wastewater monitoring during normal times, the results of which would be published periodically in Japan.
However, when virus concentrations in wastewater are inadequately measured or show significant variability, the correlation with actual infection trends may weaken.
The research team analyzed wastewater data obtained from the city of Sapporo in northern Japan between April 2021 and September 2023. The dataset showed high sensitivity (100 times greater than the standard method) and high reproducibility (standard deviation less than 0.4 at log value) .10 values) and was supported by a substantial sample size of 15 samples per week, totaling 1,830 samples over a sufficient study period of two and a half years.
The study, published in the news Science of the total environmentidentified the necessary methods for accurately monitoring COVID-19 infection patterns.
The correlation coefficient between the number of infected individuals and the virus concentration in the wastewater was 0.87, indicating that this method effectively tracks regional infection trends. Furthermore, the research team concluded that the desired research frequency requires a minimum of three samples, preferably five samples, per week.
“While some people worry about the variation in virus concentrations, we believe it is possible to accurately assess regional infection trends with the right research methods,” said lead author Michio Murakami. “This research is important because it provides a concrete example of effective wastewater monitoring using COVID-19 as a case study.”
The study provides detailed guidance on wastewater monitoring methods to understand infection trends, focusing on data processing, analytical sensitivity and survey frequency.
As wastewater monitoring in normal times becomes more widely implemented and its results are increasingly published, it is expected that the findings of this study will serve as valuable resources for decision-making.
More information:
Michio Murakami et al., Evaluation of research techniques in wastewater-based epidemiology for accurate estimation of COVID-19 incidence, Science of the total environment (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176702
Quote: COVID-19 Case Study in Japan Identifies Effective Wastewater Surveillance Methods for Monitoring Infections (2024, October 24), Retrieved October 25, 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-10-covid-case-japan-effective -wastewater .html
This document is copyrighted. Except for fair dealing purposes for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without written permission. The content is provided for informational purposes only.