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A NIST-Hosted Webinar on Measuring SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater and Fecal Material: A Call for Standards
Click here to download the workshop report.
Background
The current pandemic is due to the spread of SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus that causes a severe respiratory infection known as COVID-19. Recent reports have noted the presence of viral RNA in stool samples, offering unique measurement challenges and opportunities in three areas:
- Biosurveillance of Wastewater: Local public health labs can monitor sewage treatment facilities to measure the rise and fall of COVID-19 in a community; potentially as a tool to help predict future waves of outbreaks.
- Feces as a New Target for Diagnostic Testing: Currently there are >140 commercially available COVID-19 diagnostic tests. While initially validated using nasal swabs, these same tests can potentially be re-validated in fecal material.
- Fecal Microbiome Transplantation (FMT) Safety: Every year, thousands of patients receive FMTs to treat infections and other health conditions. The FDA has released a safety alert stating donor material must be screened for COVID-19, as feasible.
Workshop Purpose and Expected Outcomes
To address these new challenges and opportunities, we are organizing a virtual workshop that convenes stakeholders in the above areas. Workshop goals are to:
- Gain insight on measurement challenges associated with detecting SARS-CoV-2 in fecal material.
- Disseminate NIST’s unique expertise in producing standards and reference materials to address urgent measurement challenges.
- Determine how the NIST Human Whole Stool Reference Material (RGM 10162), currently under development, could potentially be modified and deployed to address these emerging needs.
A workshop report will summarize the discussion and inform planning for ongoing and future NIST efforts.
AGENDA
1:00 pm Scott Jackson, NIST, Opening Remarks
1:05 pm Bharat Ramakrishna, OpenBiome, “Fecal microbiota transplantation: Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic”
1:20 pm Manoj Dadlani, CosmosID, “Overcoming the Validation Challenges of a Diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 in Stool”
1:35 pm Katerina Papp, Water Quality R&D, Southern Nevada Water Authority, “Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Southern Nevada: Challenges for Sample Collection, Processing, and Analysis”
1:50 pm Kyle Bibby, University of Notre Dame, Title TBA
2:05 pm Aparna Keshaviah, Mathematica, “Testing Wastewater for SARS-CoV-2: Aligning Validation and Policy Needs”
2:20 pm Panelist Q&A
2:55 pm Scott Jackson, NIST, Wrap-Up
3:00 pm Conclude Webinar
CONTACT
Scott Jackson
fecalstandards [at] nist.gov (fecalstandards[at]nist[dot]gov)
240-620-7321