Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39760935›Full record

ArticleFood and environmental virology2025

Evaluation of Three Viral Capsid Integrity qPCR Methods for Wastewater-Based Viral Surveillance.

Jessica L Kevill, Kata Farkas, Kate Herridge, Shelagh K Malham, Davey L Jones

Abstract readEvaluation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Food and environmental virology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

5 authors.

Jessica L KevillSchool of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK. j.kevill@bangor.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-7367-4338
Kata FarkasSchool of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.
Kate HerridgeSchool of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.
Shelagh K MalhamSchool of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5AB, UK.
Davey L JonesSchool of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.

Funding

HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme 101057764
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Capsid Integrity qPCR (CI-qPCR) assays offer a promising alternative to cell culture-based infectivity assays for assessing pathogenic human virus viability in wastewater. This study compared three CI-qPCR methods: two novel (Crosslinker, TruTiter) and one established (PMAxx dye). These methods were evaluated on heat-inactivated and non-heat-inactivated 'live' viruses spiked into phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and wastewater, as well as on viruses naturally present in wastewater samples. The viral panel included Human adenovirus 5 (HAdV), enterovirus A71 (EV), hepatitis-A virus (HAV), influenza-A H3N2 (IAV), respiratory syncytial virus A2 (RSV), norovirus GI, norovirus GII, and SARS-CoV-2. All three methods successfully differentiated between degraded, heat-inactivated, and live viruses in PBS. While all three methods were comparable for HAdV and norovirus GI, PMAxx detected significantly lower gene copies for EV and IAV. In spiked wastewater, PMAxx yielded significantly lower gene copies for all heat-inactivated viruses (HAdV, EV, HAV, IAV, and RSV) compared to the Crosslinker and TruTiter methods. For viruses naturally present in wastewater (un-spiked), no significant difference was observed between PMAxx and TruTiter methods. Intact, potentially infectious viruses were detected using both PMAxx and TruTiter on untreated and treated wastewater samples. A comparative analysis of qPCR data and TEM images revealed that viral flocculation of IAV may interfere with capsid integrity assays using intercalating dyes. In summary, our findings not only advance the development of more effective methods for assessing viral viability in wastewater, but also highlight the potential of CI-qPCR techniques to enhance early warning systems for emerging pathogens, thereby strengthening public health preparedness and response strategies.

Indexed as

Real-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionWastewaterCapsidHumansVirusesWastewaterCapsid integrityEnvironmental surveillancePathogen viabilityPublic health riskViral persistenceWastewater-based epidemiology

Identifiers

PMID39760935
PMCPMC11703991

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Registered trials

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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.