Predicting Infectious Disease Trends of 'COVID-19 and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria' in Sewage Systems

Ulsan Health and Environment Institute, "Sewage-Based Infectious Disease Surveillance"

Transition from 'Pilot' to Main Project, Expansion of Surveillance Facilities

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A surveillance project that detects viruses and pathogens in domestic sewage to predict the spread of infectious diseases is being actively carried out in Ulsan.

The Ulsan Health and Environment Research Institute announced on the 5th that the "Sewage-based Infectious Disease Surveillance Project," which had been conducted as a pilot project since August last year under the supervision of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, will be converted into a full-scale project starting this year.

The surveillance facilities will be expanded from the two sewage treatment plants, Yongyeon and Gulhwa, which were operated during the pilot project, to a total of four plants including Nongsu and Bangojin.

The infectious diseases under surveillance include a total of 13 pathogens: △COVID-19 virus △influenza △respiratory viruses (7 types) △waterborne and foodborne pathogens (3 types) △antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with 3 additional types added this year.

The sewage-based infectious disease surveillance project is a system that identifies early signs of infectious disease outbreaks and predicts epidemics by analyzing trends of increase or decrease in viruses such as COVID-19 in sewage generated in the local area.

An official from the Ulsan Health and Environment Research Institute said, "This year, with the introduction of 'whole genome sequencing equipment,' it has become possible to monitor new types of variants and various infectious disease-causing pathogens using sewage," adding, "We will actively respond to community infectious disease crises by predicting outbreaks using scientific data."

Ulsan Institute of Health and Environment Research.

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