Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36844610›Full record

ArticleLancet regional health. Americas2023

Safer at school early alert: an observational study of wastewater and surface monitoring to detect COVID-19 in elementary schools.

Rebecca Fielding-Miller, Smruthi Karthikeyan, Tommi Gaines, Richard S Garfein, Rodolfo A Salido, Victor J Cantu, Laura Kohn, Natasha K Martin, Adriane Wynn, Carrissa Wijaya and 36 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Lancet regional health. Americas, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
30citing papers in PubMed
5.6field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

30 citing papers in PubMed, 38 citations in OpenAlex.

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  10. Scalable Epidemic Simulation Using FAVITES-Lite.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2025
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Monitoring pathogens in wastewater.Nature reviews. Microbiology · 2024
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

46 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Rebecca Fielding-MillerDivision of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Smruthi KarthikeyanDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Tommi GainesDivision of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Richard S GarfeinHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Rodolfo A SalidoDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Victor J CantuDepartment of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Laura KohnKohn Education Consulting, San Diego, CA, USA.
Natasha K MartinDivision of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Adriane WynnDivision of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Carrissa WijayaHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Marlene FloresHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Vinton OmalekiHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Araz MajnoonianHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Patricia Gonzalez-ZunigaHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Megan NguyenHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Anh V VoHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Tina LeHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Dawn DuongHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Ashkan HassaniHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Samantha TweetenCounty of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA, 92101, USA.
Kristen JepsenInstitute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Benjamin HensonInstitute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Abbas HakimDepartment of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Amanda BirminghamCenter for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Peter De HoffDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Adam M MarkCenter for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Chanond A NasamranCenter for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Sara Brin RosenthalCenter for Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Niema MoshiriDepartment of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Kathleen M FischDepartment of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Greg HumphreyDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Sawyer FarmerDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Helena M TubbDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Tommy VallesDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Justin MorrisDepartment of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Jaeyoung KangDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Behnam KhaleghiDepartment of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Colin YoungDepartment of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Ameen D AkelMicron Technology, Inc., 7220 Trade Street, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
Sean EilertMicron Technology, Inc., 7220 Trade Street, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
Justin EnoMicron Technology, Inc., 7220 Trade Street, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
Ken CurewitzMicron Technology, Inc., 7220 Trade Street, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
Louise C LaurentUniversity of California San Diego and San Diego State University Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Tajana RosingDepartment of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Rob KnightDepartment of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
SEARCH
University of California San Diego · USMicron (United States) · USSan Diego State University · USJohns Hopkins University · USHealth and Human Services Agency · US

Funding

UC San Diego Clinical and Translational Research InstituteUL1TR001442 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI FIRESTEIN, GARY S, HOGARTH, MICHAEL · 2015 to 2024
$88.3M
SASEAU01HD108787 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI FIELDING-MILLER, REBECCA KATHLEEN · 2022 to 2023
$2.4M
Social-structural and spatial determinants of HIV testing and linkage to care among high risk women in TanzaniaK01MH112436 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI FIELDING-MILLER, REBECCA KATHLEEN · 2017 to 2021
$941k
Illumina NovaSeq 6000 Sequencing SystemS10OD026929 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI JEPSEN, KRISTEN LYNN · 2019 to 2019
$600k
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001442NICHD NIH HHS U01 HD108787NIH HHS S10 OD026929NIMHD NIH HHS L70 MD011114NIMH NIH HHS K01 MH112436
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Schools are high-risk settings for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but necessary for children's educational and social-emotional wellbeing. Previous research suggests that wastewater monitoring can detect SARS-CoV-2 infections in controlled residential settings with high levels of accuracy. However, its effective accuracy, cost, and feasibility in non-residential community settings is unknown. Methods: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness and accuracy of community-based passive wastewater and surface (environmental) surveillance to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in neighborhood schools compared to weekly diagnostic (PCR) testing. We implemented an environmental surveillance system in nine elementary schools with 1700 regularly present staff and students in southern California. The system was validated from November 2020 to March 2021. Findings: In 447 data collection days across the nine sites 89 individuals tested positive for COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 374 surface samples and 133 wastewater samples. Ninety-three percent of identified cases were associated with an environmental sample (95% CI: 88%-98%); 67% were associated with a positive wastewater sample (95% CI: 57%-77%), and 40% were associated with a positive surface sample (95% CI: 29%-52%). The techniques we utilized allowed for near-complete genomic sequencing of wastewater and surface samples. Interpretation: Passive environmental surveillance can detect the presence of COVID-19 cases in non-residential community school settings with a high degree of accuracy. Funding: County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Centers for Disease Control.

Indexed as

COVID-19 in schoolsSARS-CoV-2Wastewater surveillance

Identifiers

PMID36844610
PMCPMC9939935
OpenAlexW4321381447

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.