As Alberta’s measles outbreaks grow, researchers are now observing wastewater in the province by the highly contagious virus and hoping to determine if technology could serve as an early detection tool.
The magnitude of Alberta shoots and the speed at which the cases are climbing has caused a generalized concern. Until noon on Tuesday, 1,323 cases had been confirmed since the outbreaks began in March.
Pidgybacking in weekly wastewater samples, collected through the COVID-19 Provincial Surveillance Program, the equipment has designed a test that can identify both the wild type measles virus (indicated by real infection) and the detachment related to the wastewater vaccine.
“It was shown that wastewater surveillance is very useful worldwide, internationally, during COVID-19,” said Dr. Bonita Lee, co-leader of the Pan-Alberta network for wastewater monitoring, which includes researchers at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.
The samples are taken from 12 sites of Alberta wastewater treatment plants and sent to the provincial laboratory for analysis.
Once the SARS-COV-2 test is completed, the researchers analyze the same measles samples.
Without any additional financing, the team began looking for the virus in early April, after the first cases were confirmed in Edmonton, according to Lee.
They found signals of measles virus in the water for that period of time and since they have followed provincial trends.
“Basically we have a lot of measles activity and is increasing,” said Lee, a professor of infectious diseases in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta.
Scientists cannot identify individual cases through these molecular tests. Instead, they get a population level view, he explained.
The official recount of Alberta measles cases is widely believing, by doctors and scientists, being a underestimation. And the Provincial Government website recognizes that cases are probably not informed and are not detected in the most affected parts of the province.
According to Lee, wastewater monitoring could be more useful in areas where measles cases can be without being detected and public health officials want to better understand what is happening.
“It is never useful by itself. It will always be useful as a complementary surveillance tool,” he said.
Early detection hopes
Dr. Xiaoli Pang recently retired after working as a virologist in the provincial laboratory for 25 years and leading the wastewater surveillance program.
Pang developed the initial SARS-COV2 wastewater monitoring technology for the provincial laboratory and also designed the molecular measles test.
“I think that measles will continue, probably getting worse and more,” he said, noting that the financing for wastewater monitoring has decreased since the pandemic peak.
“Our wastewater plays a very important role. Therefore, we really need to continue.”
The measles incubation period can last up to two weeks, according to Pang, and this has caused the hope that technology can lead to an earlier detection and provide information that health officials can use to take measures.
With the monitoring of Sars COV2, the team was able to identify peaks of one or two weeks before the real cases of real cases increased, he said.
They want to know if wastewater signals will work the same way for measles.
More research is needed, he said, and would require access to clinical case information data to determine science behind how wastewater signals correlate with real confirmed cases.
“We want to obtain clinical information … to compare the correlation. Can we really make an earlier detection and provide useful information to public health? [so they can] Make any type of decisions? “Pang said, a professor of the Department of Medicine and Laboratory Pathology at the University of Alberta.
For an effective monitoring program, more frequent sampling would also be needed, according to researchers.
The Alberta wastewater surveillance program has been reduced from the pandemic peak. The tests are performed weekly instead of daily, he said, and they have to wait for access to the samples, which means that real -time monitoring for measles is not possible.
Measles is very contagious and can lead to serious complications that include pneumonia, cerebral inflammation, premature delivery and even death.
The vast majority of Alberta cases are among non -immunized and more than 100 lodges have been hospitalized due to the disease this year.
The team has shared its first findings with provincial health officials.
A Alberta government spokesman confirmed that he is aware of the investigation.
“Researchers at the University of Alberta have been exploring the use of wastewater surveillance for measles,” said an email statement.
“Public health officials are reviewing these data to evaluate their relevance in the context of the current outbreak.”
In the long term, Pang believes that wastewater could play a key role in the fight against new and emerging pathogens and even help identify the next pandemic.
She expects funds to increase.
“Something can be new. If something really causes a big problem in the near future, I think wastewater [will] Play some kind of important paper, “he said.
“Wastewater we see as a really important complementary tool, especially for the preparation of pandemic.”
