Rožanec Jan, Kranjec Natalija, Obid Ivana, Steyer Andrej, Cerar Kišek Tjaša, Koritnik Tom, Fafangel Mario, Galičič An
National Institute of Public Health, Trubarjeva ulica 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, Prvomajska ulica 1, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
Infect Dis Rep. 2024 Aug 29;16(5):836-845. doi: 10.3390/idr16050065.
Since COVID-19, mpox was the first emerging pathogen to have spread globally in 2022. Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has proven to be an efficient early warning system for detecting potential resurgences. This report aims to provide insight into the development and implementation of WBS of mpox in Slovenia and to incorporate the surveillance results into the development of public health interventions. WBS of mpox was conducted during the period from 1 June 2023 to 30 September 2023 at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Ljubljana and WWTP Koper. The selected detection method of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) in the wastewater sample was based on PCR analysis. The implemented laboratory method showed that the sample preparation and concentration method enables a stable procedure for MPXV detection in wastewater samples. The laboratory analysis of wastewater samples from the selected WWTPs did not detect the MPXV during the monitoring period. In the event of MPXV detection in a wastewater sample, targeted public health interventions would be implemented, focusing on increasing awareness among the groups of men who have sex with other men and searching for positive mpox cases. We recommend that the developed system be retained in the case of an emergency epidemiological situation.
自新冠疫情以来，猴痘是2022年首个在全球传播的新出现病原体。基于废水的监测（WBS）已被证明是检测潜在疫情复发的有效预警系统。本报告旨在深入了解斯洛文尼亚猴痘WBS的开发与实施情况，并将监测结果纳入公共卫生干预措施的制定中。猴痘WBS于2023年6月1日至2023年9月30日期间在卢布尔雅那污水处理厂和科佩尔污水处理厂开展。废水样本中猴痘病毒（MPXV）的选定检测方法基于PCR分析。所实施的实验室方法表明，样本制备和浓缩方法可为废水中MPXV的检测提供稳定流程。在监测期间，对选定污水处理厂的废水样本进行的实验室分析未检测到MPXV。如果在废水样本中检测到MPXV，将实施有针对性的公共卫生干预措施，重点是提高男男性行为者群体的意识并查找猴痘阳性病例。我们建议在紧急疫情形势下保留所开发的系统。
