While cases of measles multiply in Alberta, researchers observe the wastewater in the province to detect the virus of this highly contagious disease.
They hope to determine whether the wastewater analysis technology could possibly serve as an early detection tool.
The provincial data on Wednesday at midday report 1340 cases of confirmed measles in Alberta since the start of the hatching of the disease last March.
Based on weekly wastewater samples collected as part of the COVVI-19 provincial monitoring program, the researchers’ team has developed a test capable of also detecting the presence of the measles virus.
Wastewater surveillance has proven to be very useful worldwide during COVID-19
says the Dre Bonita Lee, co-responsible for the Pan-Alberta network of wastewater surveillance, which includes researchers from the universities of Alberta and Calgary.
Samples are taken each week from 12 treatment plants and sent to the provincial laboratory for analysis.
Once the screening tests of the SRASRAS-TO-2 Completed, researchers analyze the same samples to detect measles.
DRE Bonita Lee is a professor of infectious diseases in the Pediatric Department of the University of Alberta and co-directs the Pan-Albertan Wastewater Monitoring Network.
Photo: Supplied by Bonita Lee
The team started looking for the disease virus at the beginning of April, after the first confirmed cases in Edmonton, and found traces in the water.
These molecular tests do not allow scientists to identify individual cases. Rather, they obtain an overview of the population, explains the Dre Lee.
According to her, wastewater monitoring could be very useful in regions where cases of measles are not detected and where public health officials wish to better understand what is going on.
Since March, cases of measles have multiplied in Alberta. They reached 1340 infections on Wednesday at midday. (Archives photo)
Photo : Getty Images / Singjai2
Hope for early detection
The Dre Xiaoli Pang recently retired after working for 25 years as a virologist in the provincial laboratory and managed the wastewater surveillance program.
It has developed the initial wastewater surveillance technology of the SRASRAS-TO-2 For the provincial laboratory and also designed the molecular test for measles.
According to her, the incubation period of measles can last up to two weeks. This gives rise to hope that technology could allow earlier detection and provide useful information that can allow health authorities to take necessary measures.
Virologist Xiaoli Pang has developed the initial Sras-Cov2 wastewater monitoring technology for the provincial laboratory.
Photo: University of Alberta
For frequent samples
The Dre Pang also believes that it would also be necessary to have access to clinical data to determine the correlation between the signals of wastewater and the actual number of confirmed cases.
According to researchers, an effective monitoring program would also require more frequent samples.
The Alberta wastewater monitoring program has been reduced from the peak of the COVVI-19 pandemic, and the tests are carried out every week and no longer every day. In addition, you have to wait until you have access to the samples, which means that it is not possible to monitor measles in real time.
The team of researchers expressed their first conclusions to the provincial health authorities.
A government spokesperson said that Alberta’s public health examined this data in order to assess their relevance in the context of measles.
The Dre Xiaoli Pang maintains that wastewater could play a key role in the fight against new and emerging pathogens, or even help identify the next pandemic.
With information from Jennifer Lee
