Wastewater-Based Estimation of the Effective Reproductive Number of SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The effective reproductive number, Re, is a critical indicator to monitor disease dynamics, inform regional and national policies, and estimate the effectiveness of interventions. It describes the average number of new infections caused by a single infectious person through time. To date, Re estimates are based on clinical data such as observed cases, hospitalizations, and/or deaths. These estimates are temporarily biased when clinical testing or reporting strategies change.

Objectives

We show that the dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater can be used to estimate Re in near real time, independent of clinical data and without the associated biases.

Methods

We collected longitudinal measurements of SARS-CoV

SUBMITTER: Huisman JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9135136 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature