Pathogen surveillance through wastewater in Gabon

Cooperating countries: Gabon and Austria

Coordinating institution: Medical University of Vienna, Andreas Bergthaler, andreas.bergthaler@meduniwien.ac.at

Partner institutions: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné

Project duration: 1 August 2023 - 31 July 2025

Abstract:

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has proven to be a valuable tool for pandemic management. So far, its application is mostly thriving in urban regions of high-income countries. In this proposed project we will establish a collaboration between the Institute of Hygiene and Applied Immunology of the Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna), Austria and the Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Gabon to foster the use of WBE methodology in Gabon for SARS-CoV-2 monitoring and as a further tool employed in the pandemic preparedness efforts. To this end we plan to transfer established expertise to detect, quantify and genetically characterize viruses from wastewater. These methods can be readily applied on the campus of the Albert Schweitzer Hospital with its centralized wastewater infrastructure and its co-location with CERMEL. Furthermore, we will jointly develop further the existing methodology to adapt it to two parameters which limit the application of WBE on a global scale: This includes i) the analysis of wastewater samples from non-centralized infrastructure, e.g., pit latrines or receiving waters, and ii) adapted methodology that can be employed in rural parts without sophisticated laboratory infrastructure. Towards the end of this project, we aim to engage with stakeholders from Gabon and the Central African region and disseminate newly developed techniques during an on-site workshop to promote the usage of WBE in Africa.