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IMAGE: This schematic shows some of the location where SARS-CoV-2 s genetic signature was detected in the intensive care unit (ICU) and other hospital rooms. view more
Credit: UC San Diego Health Sciences
Watching what was happening around the world in early 2020, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers knew their region would likely soon be hit with a wave of patients with COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. They wondered how the virus persists on surfaces, particularly in hospitals, and they knew they had only a small window of time to get started if they wanted to capture a snapshot of the before situation before patients with the infection were admitted.
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IMAGE: San Diego County s primary wastewater treatment plan is located on the coast in the city s Point Loma neighborhood. view more
Credit: San Diego County
In earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic, before diagnostic testing was widely available, it was difficult for public health officials to keep track of the infection s spread, or predict where outbreaks were likely to occur. Attempts to get ahead of the virus are still complicated by the fact that people can be infected and spread the virus even without experiencing any symptoms themselves.
When studies emerged showing that a person testing positive for COVID-19 whether or not they were symptomatic shed the virus in their stool, the sewer seemed like the happening place to look for it, said Smruthi Karthikeyan, PhD, an environmental engineer and postdoctoral researcher at University of California San Diego School of Medicine.