Sewersheds: Wastewater surveillance for disease monitoring
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, detecting the spread of infection was difficult due to costly and selective testing, asymptomatic cases, and delayed data. Wastewater surveillance (monitoring) has gained popularity as an affordable way to monitor whole populations near real-time without needing to collect clinical data from individuals. Wastewater epidemiology (study of health and disease) is a valuable tool for disease trend analysis, early warning, and to study pathogen diversity.
This project aims to understand the relationship between the laboratory results from wastewater monitoring in different communities in Gauteng. The GCRO is currently collaborating with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the use of wastewater data to measure infectious diseases. Wastewater can be used as a method to monitor trends in diseases, early warning systems, and study genetic diversity in pathogens. The aim of this project is to correlate socio-economic data, the spatial form of the city the burden of disease to better inform public policy.
Outputs
Academic publications:
Maree G., Els, F., Iwu-Jaja, C., Naidoo, L., Naidoo, Y., Mokgoja, B., Petersen, C., Mahumuza, P., Ndlovu, N., Macheke, M., Msomi, N., Taukobong, S, Maposa, S., Gwala, S., Phalane, E., Rabotapi, L., Monametsi, L., Mangena, T., Rachida, S., van Blerk, N., McCarthy, K., and Yousif, M. (2024). 'Linking wastewater surveillance and epidemiology with socio-economic indicators: the power of multisectoral approaches Linking wastewater surveillance and epidemiology with socio-economic indicators: the power of multisectoral approaches. Under review. MEDRXIV/2024/314039
Photo essays:
Els, F., Seleka, T. and Maree, G. (2023). ‘Sewersheds: What can wastewater tell us about community health? Photo Essay: Gauteng City-Region Observatory. September 2023. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.36634/OWQD3432
Presentations:
Gillian Maree (June 2024). ‘Linking wastewater surveillance and epidemiology with socio-economic indicators: the power of multisectoral approaches’ Presentation at the Water Institute of South Africa Biennial Conference, 12-14 June, Durban.
Fiona Els (June 2024). ‘Evidence shows that WES overcomes testing biases and is a more accurate surveillance tool’, WISA conference, Durban, South Africa, 13 June 2024.
Fiona Els (May 2024). ‘SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in non-sewered settings in South Africa’, International Water Association, Webinar, 16 May 2024.
Fiona Els (May 2024). "Determining the impact of socio-economic conditions on SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease in Gauteng Province, South Africa using wastewater-based epidemiology". South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme Alumni association seminar, 13 May 2024. Oral presentation. Pretoria, South Africa.
Fiona Els (November 2023). "Determining the impact of socio-economic conditions on SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease in Gauteng Province, South Africa using wastewater-based epidemiology". EPIDEMICS 9 - 9th International Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics, 28 November 2023. Poster presentation. Bologna, Italy.
Fiona Els (October 2023). ‘The power of multisectoral approaches to determine the impact of social determinants of health: Linking SARS-CoV-2 wastewater and clinical epidemiology with socio-economic indicators and quality of life.’, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 6 October 2023.
Fiona Els (September 2023). "The COVID-19 burden in informal settlements in Gauteng, South Africa: SARS-CoV-2 in river water draining informal settlements in Gauteng, 2021", ES-VAIPH meeting, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 19 September 2023.
McCarthy, K., Maree, G, et al (September 2023). 'The power of multisectoral approaches to determine the impact of social determinants of health: Linking SARS-CoV-2 wastewater and clinical epidemiology with socio-economic indicators and quality of life.', Presentation to the Wits School of Public Health and CARTA Conference, Wits School of Public Health, 14 September 2023.
Maree, G. and Els F. (2023) 'Exploring the relationship between wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 cases and socio-demographics in Gauteng, South Africa', Presentation to the ES-VAIPH Partners meeting, National Institute of Communicable Diseases, 19 September 2023.
Fiona Els (September 2023). "Determining the impact of socio-economic conditions on SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease in Gauteng Province, South Africa using wastewater-based epidemiology". South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme Alumni Association ECHO session, 18 September 2023. Virtual Oral presentation. Johannesburg, South Africa.
Fiona Els (June 2023). "Exploring the relationship between wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 and population socio-economics for the period 4 March 2021 to 31 January 2023". National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 20 June 2023.
Fiona Els (June2023). "Epidemiological differences between patients hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 or influenza infection in hospitalised individuals in South Africa". School of Health Systems and Public Health. University of Pretoria, 29 June 2023.
Conferences and posters:
Fiona Els, Laven Naidoo, Yashena Naidoo, Boitumelo Mokgoja, Cher Petersen, Phemelo Mahamuza, Emmanuel Phalane, Nosihle Sithandiwe Msomi, Mokgaetji Macheke, Chinwe Iwu-Jaja, Gillian Maree, Kerrigan McCarthy (August 2023). "Determining the impact of socio-economic conditions on SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease in Gauteng Province, South Africa using wastewater-based epidemiology". Wastewater-based epidemiology Research Coordination Network Wastewater surveillance Annual Meeting, 2 August 2023. Virtual poster presentation.
Fiona Els, Laven Naidoo, Yashena Naidoo, Boitumelo Mokgoja, Cher Petersen, Phemelo Mahamuza, Emmanuel Phalane, Nosihle Sithandiwe Msomi, Mokgaetji Macheke, Chinwe Iwu-Jaja, Gillian Maree, Kerrigan McCarthy (June 2023). "Determining the impact of socio-economic conditions on SARS-CoV-2 burden of disease in Gauteng Province, South Africa using wastewater-based epidemiology". Clinic on Meaningful Modeling of Epidemiological Data, 27 June 2023. Poster presentation. Muizenberg, Cape Town.
Last updated: 20 September 2024.
