Wastewater monitoring enables early detection of respiratory viruses

Research indicates that wastewater-based epidemiology can serve as an effective tool for the early detection of respiratory viruses, often anticipating clinical case increases by up to a week.

A study conducted by the Universities of Burgos and Valladolid, published in the journal npj Viruses, analyzed 600 samples from 12 locations in Burgos, Spain, over a three-year period. The findings showed that while influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) followed seasonal patterns, SARS-CoV-2 maintained a continuous presence, achieving a 93% positivity rate in analyzed samples. This suggests the virus continued to circulate even when clinical notifications decreased.

In Puerto Rico, the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, has launched a pilot project to study influenza and RSV in wastewater. Led by Dr. Keyla Soto Hidalgo, the project received $50,000 in funding from the Alliance for Clinical and Translational Research, approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This initiative aims to provide non-invasive, early population-level information regarding viral circulation to complement existing epidemiological surveillance tools.