SMART researchers have developed an innovative method to detect and quantify the more transmissible B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant of concern via wastewater epidemiology
● Latest development by the research team in Singapore is currently utilised by Biobot Analytics to analyse wastewater samples in the US; ongoing development of assays for B.1.61.2 (Delta) variant
● Innovative, open-source molecular detection method developed is low-cost and able to reliably detect and quantify the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant even in a background of mixed SARS-CoV-2 viruses
● Open-source method can be rapidly adapted to detect other variants, and is free for use by other organisations and research institutes for their work on wastewater surveillance and emerging variants
Researchers from the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, alongside collaborators from Biobot Analytics, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have successfully developed an innovative, open-source molecular detection method that is able to detect and quantify the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant of SARS-CoV-2. The breakthrough paves the way for rapid, inexpensive surveillance of other SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater.
As the world continues to battle and contain COVID-19, the recent identification of SARS-CoV-2 variants with higher transmissibility and increased severity has made the development of convenient variant tracking methods essential. Currently, identified variants include the B.1.17 (Alpha) variant first identified in the United Kingdom and the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant first detected in India.
Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a critical public health tool to safely and efficiently track the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in a non-intrusive manner, providing complementary information that enables health authorities to acquire actionable community-level information. Most recently, viral fragments of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in housing estates in Singapore through a proactive wastewater surveillance programme. This information, alongside surveillance testing, allowed Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) to swiftly respond, isolate and conduct swab tests as part of precautionary measures.
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American Chemical Society. Research Paper:
