In the spring of 2020, some researchers at KTH began developing a method for analyzing the amount of viruses in wastewater. She then used the analyzes to determine when the various waves of infections were on their way or when they subsided in cities like Stockholm. The new method now also makes it possible to trace viruses that cause hepatitis in children, the occurrence of monkeypox and seasonal flu.
A new way to detect * Adenovirus F41
Our research group has developed a new method for detecting the presence of adenovirus F41, a virus that has been identified as the main cause of outbreaks of new hepatitis (hepatitis) in children. Our method specializes in quantifying human adenoviruses and we have just submitted our method to the European Commission and the Public Health Agency, says Zeynep Setsioglu Gurul, senior lecturer at KTH.
The increasing prevalence of hepatitis among children around the world is the basis for researchers’ research on hepatitis viruses. Photo: Mariel Perez Zabaleta
Increased number of hepatitis outbreaks in children
The research work was conducted at the Albanova University Center, and colleague Mariel Pérez Zabaleta, a postdoctoral researcher in KTH’s Department of Industrial Biotechnology, says there are good reasons to monitor the spread of various viruses in the community. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an increase in the number of hepatitis outbreaks among children under 16 years of age in the world in 2022. The exact figures are 1,010 cases, including 22 deaths in a total of 35 countries.
These cases are unrelated to travel, and most children have been shown to be infected with F41 adenovirus as the new dominant variant of hepatitis. Marielle Perez Zabaleta says five percent of 1,010 children have had a liver transplant.
The link between adenovirus F41 and covid 19
She further explains that there are studies from 2022 that indicate a link between *adenovirus F41 (HAdV F41) and *covid19 (SARS-CoV-2), that people infected with both viruses can have stronger liver inflammation, for example. . This applies not least to children.
– Tracking how this hepatitis virus spreads in the population, and specifically monitoring for Adenovirus F41 in areas where there are schools, can help authorities and health care to act if they see a significant spread of infection among young people. Marielle Pérez-Zabaleta says a clear picture of persistent infection can also be useful in investigating the cause of the hepatitis outbreak.
*Monkeypox and seasonal flu can also be tracked
It’s not just viruses that cause Covid-19 and hepatitis that researchers can now detect in wastewater. In the search for monkeypox, samples from water treatment plants in Stockholm and Malmö have been analyzed since the end of June 2022. Since the number of cases in Sweden has been low so far, less than five cases per week according to the Public Health Agency for Statistics, however the result was negative. in sewage.
source: 1177
We are also prepared to monitor the development of seasonal influenza such as influenza A, and we can monitor diseases such as influenza B, calicivirus (norovirus and sapovirus) and respiratory syncytial virus (also called RS virus). We are currently developing a method to be able to detect the presence of antibiotic resistance via wastewater samples, says Mariel Perez-Zapaleta.
* About the virus in the text
Adenovirus It belongs to the group of DNA viruses and can survive for a long time outside the human body and there are about 50 different species that can all cause infection in humans. The respiratory system is often affected, but infection with adenovirus can cause very diverse symptoms of the disease and from many different organ systems. Adenovirus F41 (HAdV F41) is the type identified as the main cause of hepatitis outbreaks in children.
SARS-CoV-2 It is a contagious coronavirus that causes Covid-19 disease. The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes respiratory infections that in the vast majority of cases lead to milder symptoms that resolve within two weeks. Sometimes, especially in the elderly, people with chronic diseases and some other risk factors, however, viral infections can be fatal.
calcivirus It causes major recurrent annual epidemics of winter diseases in the community, especially in the winter months. Raspberries, imported and frozen shellfish, and foods contaminated by a sick person are common causes of outbreaks. The group of human calloviruses includes noroviruses and sapoviruses.
RS . virus It is a common cause of upper respiratory infection and the most common cause of lower respiratory infection in children under the age of one year. Infection with the RS virus usually causes symptoms similar to the common cold, and adults and older children usually do not have significant problems with the disease. However, young children may have breathing difficulties and prolonged coughing.
Source: Public Health Agency and 1177
Contact:
Zeynep Cetecioglu Gurol, [email protected]
Mariel Perez Zabaleta, [email protected].
Read more about research
More specifically, the research work in the KTH node was carried out on Swedish Center for Environmental Epidemiology (SEEC) at Albanova University Center.
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