Loading
Life sciences · Journal article
Korean Journal of Environmental Health Sciences · August 31, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This is a descriptive wastewater surveillance study demonstrating the feasibility of a 31-pathogen TaqMan Array Card for detecting multiple respiratory, enteric, and antimicrobial resistance markers in weekly influent samples over 32 weeks. The study characterizes detection patterns and explores temporal trends using semi-quantitative Ct values but does not establish clinical validation, predictive accuracy, or actionable community-level utility.
Descriptive wastewater surveillance study using multipathogen detection platform. Weekly influent samples from wastewater treatment plants in Cheonan and Asan; no clinical population enrolled. Intervention: TaqMan Array Card (TAC) detection of 31 pathogen analysis groups and 7 antimicrobial resistance genes. n = 64. Two wastewater treatment plants in Cheonan and Asan, South Korea.
Ten pathogens detected in 100% of study weeks, including SARS-CoV-2, norovirus, adenovirus type F, and human rhinovirus Influenza A virus and RSV showed increased detection during winter, with influenza A/H3 and RSV type B predominating Semi-quantitative Ct values declined during winter for norovirus and influenza A; SARS-CoV-2 showed no consistent trend
Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.
This study does not evaluate clinical outcomes or validate wastewater pathogen detection against clinical surveillance or health outcomes. Wastewater surveillance can complement clinical surveillance by detecting asymptomatic circulation, but the predictive or actionable value of these findings for community health intervention remains unestablished.
Single-site descriptive surveillance study using a novel multipathogen detection platform with exploratory temporal analysis; provides proof-of-concept for wastewater-based surveillance methodology but lacks comparator, clinical validation, or confirmed predictive utility.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
This study does not evaluate clinical outcomes or validate wastewater pathogen detection against clinical surveillance or health outcomes. Wastewater surveillance can complement clinical surveillance by detecting asymptomatic circulation, but the predictive or actionable value of these findings for community health intervention remains unestablished.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background: Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) complements clinical surveillance by capturing community-level circulation of infectious diseases, including asymptomatic infections.However, most multipathogen WBS studies have focused on pathogen detection and detection frequency, with limited evaluation of temporal changes using semi-quantitative Ct values.Objectives: This study aimed to characterize multipathogen detection patterns in wastewater using a customdesigned TaqMan Array Card (TAC) and explore temporal changes using semi-quantitative Ct values.Methods: Weekly influent samples (500 mL) were collected from two wastewater treatment plants in Cheonan and Asan during weeks 21~52 of 2025 (64 total samples).The TAC targeted 31 pathogen analysis groups encompassing respiratory, enteric, and selected high-concern pathogens, along with seven antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs).Pathogen occurrence was evaluated based on week-based detection status and detection frequency, while Ct values were interpreted as a semi-quantitative indicator for exploratory assessment of temporal changes.Samples failing the predefined quality control criteria were re-extracted and reanalyzed, and all samples were ultimately included in the final analysis.Results: Ten pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, norovirus, adenovirus type F, and human rhinovirus, were detected in 100% of the study weeks.Influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed increased detection during winter, with influenza A/H3 and RSV type B predominating among their respective subtypes.Semi-quantitative Ct values showed no consistent increasing or decreasing trend for SARS-CoV-2, but they declined during winter for norovirus and influenza A. In contrast, RSV showed increased winter detection without a corresponding decrease in Ct values.bla_KPC, bla_NDM, and vanA/B/ C were detected in all study weeks, and mecA and bla_OXA also showed high detection frequencies.Conclusions: TAC-based WBS enabled simultaneous characterization of multipathogen detection patterns, antimicrobial resistance gene detection, and exploratory assessment of temporal changes using semiquantitative Ct values.These findings support TAC-based WBS as an integrated tool for community-level infectious disease surveillance.
Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.