Wastewater-based surveillance as pandemic preparedness tool

Pathogen related epidemics cause human morbidity and mortality but also economic losses. Epidemics can develop quickly or slowly. Rapid epidemics are caused by pathogens such as novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 pandemic. Multidrug resistant bacteria create a slower, so-called silent pandemic threat, with a frightening consequence: the lack of effective drugs. WastPan develops preparedness tools for environmental surveillance of infectious agents and antimicrobial resistance circulating in the residential area of the sewerage network. We explore wastewater samples, their environmental metagenome including viral compartment as well as the genomes of microbial strains to gather population level information about the wastewater-shed infectious agents. As a result, we will elaborate science-based recommendations and strategies for wastewater-based surveillance that ensure preparedness to detect any alarming trends in wastewater-shed microbial hazards at local and national levels.