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Review
. 2020 Oct:17:14-20.
doi: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.06.001. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19

Kata Farkas  1 , Luke S Hillary  2 , Shelagh K Malham  1 , James E McDonald  2 , David L Jones  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19

Kata Farkas et al. Curr Opin Environ Sci Health. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Pathogenic viruses represent one of the greatest threats to human well-being. As evidenced by the COVID-19 global pandemic, however, halting the spread of highly contagious diseases is notoriously difficult. Successful control strategies therefore have to rely on effective surveillance. Here, we describe how monitoring wastewater from urban areas can be used to detect the arrival and subsequent decline of pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2. As the amount of virus shed in faeces and urine varies largely from person to person, it is very difficult to quantitatively determine the number of people who are infected in the population. More research on the surveillance of viruses in wastewater using accurate and validated methods, as well as subsequent risk analysis and modelling is paramount in understanding the dynamics of viral outbreaks.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Public health; Risk assessment; SARS-CoV-2; Virus surveillance; Wastewater-based epidemiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Nothing declared.

Figures

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Graphical abstract
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