Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to monitor SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly expanded across the globe as data has shown that WBE trends correlate with clinical case trends1,2. The success of WBE with SARS-CoV-2 has led to interest in monitoring additional pathogens, such as those that cause sexually transmitted infections (STI)3. STIs pose significant public health risks and are generally underreported as individuals are often hesitant to get tested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated over 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 20214.
Surveillance of these microorganisms’ prevalence within wastewater could provide public health officials with a tool to alert them when there is a rise in STIs within the population.
Read the poster to learn about capturing and concentrating three common STI causing pathogens: Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma genitalium from wastewater.
