Publications by authors named "Poornima Sangewar"
The bourgeoning field of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) for the surveillance of several respiratory viruses which includes Influenza A, H1N1pdm09, H3N2, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is of interest for public health concerns. However, there are few long-term monitoring studies globally. In this study, respiratory viruses were detected and quantified from 11 sewer sheds by utilizing reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis in Pune city, India, from Jan 2022 to Dec 2023.
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- Tracking and monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants has become complex due to reduced clinical testing, prompting a study of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) in Pune, India, to enhance variant surveillance.
- Over 1,100 wastewater samples were analyzed, revealing "silent waves" of high viral load that occurred before clinical cases, indicating possible hidden transmission and allowing early detection of variants like XBB up to 253 days before they appeared in clinical data.
- The study demonstrated that WBE captures a wider variety of circulating variants, providing valuable insights for public health officials to better manage and respond to potential future COVID-19 waves amidst decreasing clinical testing.