Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38303015›Full record

ArticleHuman genomics2024

Wastewater-based epidemiology applied at the building-level reveals distinct virome profiles based on the age of the contributing individuals.

Cristina Mejías-Molina, Anna Pico-Tomàs, Sandra Martínez-Puchol, Marta Itarte, Helena Torrell, Núria Canela, Carles M Borrego, Lluís Corominas, Marta Rusiñol, Sílvia Bofill-Mas

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Human genomics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Culture, qPCR, and genome-based surveillance ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2026
    Article
  8. Wastewater Metavirome Diversity: Exploring Replicate Inconsistencies and Bioinformatic Tool Disparities.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Cristina Mejías-MolinaLaboratory of Viruses Contaminants of Water and Food, Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics Department, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. cmejias@ub.edu.
Anna Pico-TomàsCatalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain.
Sandra Martínez-PucholLaboratory of Viruses Contaminants of Water and Food, Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics Department, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Marta ItarteLaboratory of Viruses Contaminants of Water and Food, Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics Department, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Helena TorrellCentre for Omic Sciences (COS), Joint Unit Universitat Rovira I Virgili-EURECAT, Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS), Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
Núria CanelaCentre for Omic Sciences (COS), Joint Unit Universitat Rovira I Virgili-EURECAT, Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS), Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
Carles M BorregoCatalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain.
Lluís CorominasCatalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain.
Marta RusiñolLaboratory of Viruses Contaminants of Water and Food, Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics Department, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Sílvia Bofill-MasLaboratory of Viruses Contaminants of Water and Food, Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics Department, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Universitat de Barcelona · ESCatalan Institute for Water Research · ESCentre for Omic Sciences · ESUniversity of Girona · ES

Funding

Consolidated Research Group grants ICRA-ENV 2017 SGR 1124Fundació la Marató de TV3 202103-30
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHuman viruses released into the environment can be detected and characterized in wastewater. The study of wastewater virome offers a consolidated perspective on the circulation of viruses within a population. Because the occurrence and severity of viral infections can vary across a person's lifetime, studying the virome in wastewater samples contributed by various demographic segments can provide valuable insights into the prevalence of viral infections within these segments. In our study, targeted enrichment sequencing was employed to characterize the human virome in wastewater at a building-level scale. This was accomplished through passive sampling of wastewater in schools, university settings, and nursing homes in two cities in Catalonia. Additionally, sewage from a large urban wastewater treatment plant was analysed to serve as a reference for examining the collective excreted human virome.

resultsThe virome obtained from influent wastewater treatment plant samples showcased the combined viral presence from individuals of varying ages, with astroviruses and human bocaviruses being the most prevalent, followed by human adenoviruses, polyomaviruses, and papillomaviruses. Significant variations in the viral profiles were observed among the different types of buildings studied. Mamastrovirus 1 was predominant in school samples, salivirus and human polyomaviruses JC and BK in the university settings while nursing homes showed a more balanced distribution of viral families presenting papillomavirus and picornaviruses and, interestingly, some viruses linked to immunosuppression.

conclusionsThis study shows the utility of building-level wastewater-based epidemiology as an effective tool for monitoring the presence of viruses circulating within specific age groups. It provides valuable insights for public health monitoring and epidemiological studies.

Indexed as

Virus DiseasesVirusesHumansViromeWastewaterWastewater-Based Epidemiological MonitoringWastewaterBuilding-levelHuman age-related viromePassive samplersTargeted enrichment sequencingWastewater-based epidemiology

Identifiers

PMID38303015
PMCPMC10832175
OpenAlexW4391449379

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.