Federal Wastewater Sampling Program Aims to Safeguard Public Health
The U.S. government has begun collecting wastewater samples as part of an effort to shield the public from infectious diseases.
This program, which often flies under the radar, is known as the Traveler-Based Genomic Surveillance Program and is managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There are actually two components to this initiative. The first involves gathering and analyzing wastewater from select airports across the country.
Airports like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York City (JFK), and Washington, DC (IAD) collect wastewater from aircraft and airport facilities. In other cities, such as Newark (EWR), Miami, and Seattle, they’ll collect nasal swabs from international travelers who provide consent.
The CDC notes that these samples are sent to laboratories for digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) testing, which checks for public health threats. When specific pathogens are discovered, genetic sequencing is conducted to pinpoint any concerning variants, strains, or mutations.
As Jake Adler, CEO of Pilgrim Labs, explained, the process involves collecting waste from airplane restrooms to run tests that can detect any potential viral threats. He further elaborated, saying that the samples must be transported for about four hours to reach a local lab, causing a significant delay. He believes that waiting 72 hours for results is far from acceptable.
Adler expresses skepticism about the program’s efficacy due to these long lead times and is currently working on a new method. He’s developing a chemical detection system called Argus, which aims to perform near real-time analysis of bioaerosols and pathogens in the air.
This technology, in Adler’s view, would revolutionize monitoring in transportation hubs, allowing quicker identification of any viral presence and a better understanding of transmission patterns among travelers.
In a somewhat personal note, Adler emphasizes the importance of safety not just for others, but for himself as well, referring back to a prior experience with a product he developed.
