Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants using genomic surveillance: insights from aircraft wastewater and nasal swabs at Kigali International Airport, Rwanda.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The growing threat of emerging infectious diseases necessitates proactive genomic surveillance, particularly, in regions with limited resources and low levels of existing reporting. This study highlights the implementation of a comprehensive genomic surveillance program at the Kigali International Airport and explores the utility of a dual-sample strategy leveraging environmental aircraft wastewater and pooled nasal swab sample types for comprehensive detection and characterization of SARS-CoV-2 lineages being imported into Rwanda.

Methods

Using a combined pooled nasal swab and aircraft wastewater sampling approach resulted in complementary insights in terms of geographic coverage, positivity, and variant characterization.

Results

Mutational profiling in so

SUBMITTER: Gashegu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12269423 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature