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Monitoring Population-Level Disease Prevalence through Monitoring of SARS-CoV2 Shedding into Wastewater

Grant number: unknown

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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19

  • start year

    -99

  • Known Financial Commitments (USD)

    $0

  • Funder

    University of Minnesota

  • Principal Investigator

    PhD and PhD Glenn Simmons, Richard Melvin

  • Research Location

    United States of America

  • Lead Research Institution

    Medical School, University of Minnesota

  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A

  • Research Category

    Pathogen: natural history, transmission and diagnostics

  • Research Subcategory

    Environmental stability of pathogen

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Unspecified

  • Clinical Trial Details

    N/A

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Not Applicable

  • Vulnerable Population

    Not applicable

  • Occupations of Interest

    Not applicable

Abstract

Continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV2 viral particle levels in wastewater will provide an unbiased assessment of population-level disease prevalence. Led by Glenn Simmons Jr, PhD, and Richard Melvin, PhD, Department of Biomedical Sciences, researchers in this study collaborate with wastewater treatment facilities across the state to conduct a longitudinal study of the level of SARS-CoV2 virus and assess the relationships between the reported number of infections and the level of viral particles detected in wastewater. "By monitoring viral shedding into untreated wastewater in various communities around the state of Minnesota, we will be able to approximate the level of ongoing infections," said Simmons and Melvin. Results are expected to provide community-level information on effectiveness of disease mitigation and ongoing risk to front-line healthcare workers and community-at-large. The results will also provide additional information for mitigation policy makers.