New network launched to establish best practices for wastewater surveillance of pathogens with potential to cause a pandemic.
The network called WaSPP – or Wastewater Surveillance for Pandemic prevention – was launched in Yogyakarta, Indonesia earlier this year as a partnership between eight academic, non-profit and industry partners across Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana) Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia) and the UK.
Wastewater Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention (WaSPP) Network
The WASPP network aims to establish best practice for wastewater surveillance of priority pathogens with a specific focus on viral pathogens with pandemic potential. The network will develop tools and protocols for the detection of virus families that can spillover from animals into human populations. These virus families include well-known pathogens such as SARS coronavirus, Ebola, Marburg, Zika, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Nipah and Rift Valley Fever, as well as rare or unknown viruses that could cause the next pandemic.
I am excited to work with this network of talented scientists to develop and pilot methods for the early detection of viruses that could cause the next pandemic. Prof Nicholas Grassly MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis
The WaSPP network has set out to pilot implementation of surveillance in high-risk populations in different countries in Africa and Asia. The network will focus on the optimisation of methods and protocols for sample concentration and next-generation sequencing. The goal of the network is to support partners to develop scalable surveillance, as well as career development of early career researchers engaged in wastewater surveillance for public health.
Wastewater testing as an early warning tool
Testing wastewater could identify human infection and virus transmission missed by hospital-based testing. This would allow early responses to pandemic risks, including mitigation measures targeting animal-human interactions to prevent outbreaks and any further spillover infection. Genetic sequencing of the virus provides evidence for adaptation to human transmission and the information required to develop medical countermeasures such as diagnostics and vaccines.
Prof Nicholas Grassly of Imperial College London explains: "We know from studies of antibodies in blood samples that people are often infected with animal-derived viruses, but they are not identified as cases because they don't get sick or have non-specific symptoms."
"Wastewater testing offers a sensitive, cost-effective tool for surveillance that could identify these infections, allowing us to develop countermeasures and giving us a better chance at preventing future pandemics."
By refining sampling and sequencing methods, we aim to build scalable systems for early disease detection Dr Vicka Oktaria Universitas Gadjah Mada
Wastewater surveillance has enabled early detection of polio outbreaks, leading to mass vaccination responses. More recent experience with SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, measles virus, monkeypox virus and zika virus show that these viruses can be detected in wastewater and their concentration corresponds with local disease incidence. Not only in cities in high-income countries but also in urban areas in low- and middle-income countries where formal sewage networks are absent.
WaSPP network partners
The work of the WaSPP network is funded by the Gates Foundation and the Institute of Philanthropy. With a secretariat based at Imperial College London, the partners include the Institut Nationale de Recherche Biomédicale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia, Institute Pasteur du Cambodge in Cambodia, Universiti Malaya in Malaysia, Imperial College London, Biosurv International and University of Edinburgh in the UK.
Imperial Global
As part of Imperial's strategy, we have established a global network of hubs around the world to build long-term collaborations with partners, governments and knowledge organisations.
Last year Imperial launched hubs in San Francisco, USA, Accra, Ghana and Singapore.
Imperial Global will enhance our academic partnerships, access to talent, enterprise and engagement. Most importantly, it will become a core part of our efforts to apply science for the good of humanity.
Dr Vicka Oktaria of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, said: "I am privileged to join the WaSPP network in advancing wastewater surveillance for pandemic prevention. By refining sampling and sequencing methods, we aim to build scalable systems for early disease detection while strengthening global health security and supporting future researchers. I look forward to collaborating with partners across Africa, Asia, and the UK."
