Alberta health experts say wastewater testing may offer early detection of measles
Now, those same experts say it may also help health officials get the jump on preventing measles outbreaks in places like Alberta, a province that now has the notorious reputation of having surpassed the entire United States for the number of lab-confirmed cases of the highly-infectious virus.
'I think surveillance is best when you have a number of different ways of following the disease and molecular testing of wastewater proved its worth during COVID,' said Alberta's former chief public health officer, Dr. James Talbot.
'It identifies when a virus has moved into new territory. It can be the earliest signal for that. It tells you whether the situation is getting better or worse, which is very important to know,' added Talbot.
Story continues below advertisement
'And finally, when you're taking measures to control it, that kind of surveillance can tell you whether the measures are working or not.'
2:09
Data from wastewater helps ease Alberta's pandemic data problem
Dr. Xiaoli Pang, a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta, has been testing wastewater from 12 treatment plants across Alberta, once a week, since April 1.
'We never can replace clinical testing, because we are not able to detect who is infected, how many people are infected — we are just, through the community, (doing) population-based monitoring,' said Pang.
Get weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Because the incubation period for measles can be up to three weeks — from exposure to the appearance of symptoms — Pang said the testing may be able to provide health officials with early detection of where outbreaks could occur, providing them with valuable information on where to focus their vaccination and education efforts.
Story continues below advertisement
The testing can also distinguish between the disease strain of measles and the strain used to produce the vaccine — which means it might also be useful to help determine how much of the population in a particular region has already been vaccinated.
'This disease is a predictable disease. If you apply a vaccine, you get protected, so that is important information for public health,' added Pang.
One of the shortcomings of the wastewater testing is it likely does not accurately reflect the infection rate in babies or young children who may still use a diaper.
According to the Alberta government, about a third of the people in the province infected with measles are under 5 years of age.
But many health experts claim use of the existing system of clinical testing is likely also underestimating the size of the measles problem in Alberta.
'The surveillance system that's in place right now is likely to be undercounting the number of cases,' said Talbot, 'particularly in the summer, because there's so many opportunities during the summer for the measles virus to spread, as kids go to sports camps, Bible camps, family gatherings, summer camps and big events too, like the Calgary Stampede.'
View image in full screen
A special computerized device, installed over a modified manhole in Calgary, was used to help test for the Covid-19 virus during the pandemic. Global News
Despite the promising results, however, Pang said the wastewater testing program is short on funding.
Story continues below advertisement
'I'm only able to plan to monitor measles until end of this year,' said Pang. 'I believe this virus is (going to) continue to cause a huge problem and we may not be able to continue.
'So that is a challenge.'
2:05
COVID-19: What is wastewater testing, and how effective is it?
Global News asked the Alberta government if it plans to use wastewater testing to help in the fight against measles.
The Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services provided a written statement that said, 'public health officials are reviewing this data to determine its relevance during the current outbreak. However, because measles is a notifiable disease with clear, recognizable symptoms, the vast majority of cases are identified through routine public health surveillance.'
The statement continued, 'At this stage, measles wastewater surveillance is considered an exploratory tool and is not anticipated to support earlier case detection, as public health already has a clear understanding of where cases are occurring and how the virus is spreading.'
Story continues below advertisement
Talbot, however, who has been highly critical of the province's efforts to prevent the spread of measles, believes wastewater testing could be another valuable tool for the province to use.
'You know, the provincial government is fond of saying that getting immunized is a personal decision, which of course it is,' said Talbot.
'But they never go on to make the second point, which is that although it's a personal decision, it has consequences for other people.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
Shine Foundation makes dream come true for Halifax teen
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook It was a dream come true in Halifax as the Shine Foundation helped make a teen's wish a reality. For Malcom Rainey, being active and playing sports has always been one of his favourite things. But after surgery last year for hip dysplasia, his physical abilities have declined. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The 16-year-old has another hip surgery scheduled for later this year. The Shine Foundation, which fulfils the dreams of young people with severe physical disabilities, gave Rainey the opportunity to film his very own spy ninja 24-hour YouTube challenge video. 'The challenge day is about re-engaging excitement for activity and the things that he loves and getting him active again,' said Marissa Izma, the foundation's national programs manager. The 24-hour ninja challenge involves spy-like Nerf gun obstacle courses, dancing and fun mini-games. Rainey's parents say it's heartwarming to see him having fun and living his dream. Story continues below advertisement 'He's a pretty happy-go-lucky guy and I think that's reflected today,' said his father, Jan Rainey. For more on this story, watch the video above.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
HSC screening visitors to high-risk wards for measles
Manitoba's largest hospital is screening visitors to its most high-risk wards for measles as the number of cases of the highly contagious virus continue to rise. Health Sciences Centre began screening visitors to its neonatal intensive care unit, Children's Hospital, Women's Hospital and ambulatory care clinics earlier this month. Visitor screening is held away from patient care areas using an intercom, or at reception desks where a staff member will ask the visitor if they have recently had symptoms associated with measles, including a rash, a Shared Health spokesperson said Friday. 'If someone arrives at a facility presenting with symptoms of the measles virus, staff that are screening visitors consult with infectious disease physicians and infection control professionals to determine appropriate next steps,' the spokesperson said in an email. Additional restrictions were put in place at the neonatal intensive care unit, including a limit of two-visitors at a time per patient, including the infant's designated caregiver. Children under age five are not allowed to visit, except a twin of a baby admitted to the ward. Manitoba has confirmed 146 measles cases since February and nearly all were in the last three months. There were 72 confirmed measles cases recorded by the province in May and 28 confirmed and four probable cases in June. Twenty-seven cases have been recorded in July. Doctors Manitoba said the HSC decision reflects physicians' concern about the spread of measles. 'Seeing Manitoba's largest hospital take pandemic-like screening precautions should be a wake-up call to Manitobans,' said spokesperson Keir Johnson. Epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said she'd like all Manitoba hospitals to employ measles screening, and for HSC to expand restrictions for visitors under five years old beyond the neonatal intensive care unit. Young children, who account for the majority of measles cases in Canada, can develop particularly severe complications. 'I hope that this will be expanded throughout the province to high-risk settings and high-risk groups, in terms of the specific, targeted approach for exclusions,' she said. 'Because we don't want to head toward this becoming endemic again, meaning routinely transmitting in Canada. But we're at risk.' It's a rite of passage for parents to take older siblings into the hospital to meet their new baby brother or sister, Carr acknowledged, but the risk of unknowingly spreading a severe infection is especially high. She called the restrictions a 'dual opportunity' to reinforce the serious nature of measles cases while preventing transmission among high-risk people. 'Having gone through COVID-19, and people still recovering from feeling like things got too strict, that they had a lack of agency in making their own decisions… It feels like it's trying to take sort of a step approach with a continued effort (toward) relationship building, trust.' Manitoba's most recent exposure sites were in the southern region: the Winkler Walmart, Boundary Trails Health Centre and a building in the Rural Municipality of Roland. On Friday, Southern Health did not say whether administrators would implement restrictions at its hospitals. When Triangle Oasis Restaurant in Winkler was listed as an exposure site last month, co-owner Jonny Neufeld worried it would affect his business, either by a drop in customers or the virus spreading among staff. Neither happened, he said Friday: 'There's been some scares, but no measles.' He said the conversation around measles in the community has settled after a large spike of cases earlier in the summer. He still has some concern for southern Manitoba's youngest residents. 'Some people around me talk about how they don't want to get their kids vaccinated and whatnot,' he said. 'In my church, the preacher was talking about it once, (saying) you can heal naturally, of course, but there's a reason there are doctors out there, you should go see a doctor.' Manitoba isn't the first province to introduce mandatory screenings in hospital settings. In Ontario, where measles cases have exploded, visitors to the London Health Sciences Centre pediatric and women's care wards are screened for measles. They must provide proof of measles immunity or wear an N95 mask at all times. Alberta media outlets reported last week that some hospitals in the province were triaging probable measles patients to wait in ambulance bays, rather than waiting rooms. Alberta has recorded more than 1,300 infections since March. Malak AbasReporter Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg's North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak. Every piece of reporting Malak produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
No-swimming advisories for 9 Metro Vancouver beaches likely to last all weekend
It might be the height of summer, but taking a dip to cool off at many of Metro Vancouver beaches is currently off-limits. Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has issued advisories warning that nine local beaches are not suitable for swimming due to elevated E. coli levels. The advisories cover Ambleside and Lions Bay beaches on the North Shore, along with Trail 4 at Wreck Beach, English Bay, Kitsilano Beach, Second Beach, Sunset Beach, Third Beach and Trout Lake in Vancouver. Some sites, like Third Beach, recorded E. coli levels just slightly over the recommended testing limit, while others like Trail 4 at Wreck Beach had more than 10 times the recommended limit. 'In our institutional memory at Vancouver Coastal Health, we have not had this many beaches with that assessment all at once,' said VCH medical health officer Dr. Michael Schwandt. Story continues below advertisement E. coli is the same bacteria that can be found on vegetables or in beef. It is of particular concern for vulnerable populations, such as kids and seniors. A major contributor to E. coli in the water comes from fecal matter, both human and animal. 0:00 Health Matters: Vancouver water study 'That could be from a couple of different sources, some of those could be human, so that could be boats discharging toilets out on the water, sometimes sewage leaks or overflow as well,' Schwandt said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We also worry a little bit about animal sources, so geese have been implicated in some cases … here in the Vancouver area, I would think normally of human contamination, potentially some bird as well.' Exposure to the bacteria can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal illnesses — some serious — along with potential skin irritations. Story continues below advertisement E. coli-related beach closures have become a regular occurrence in Metro Vancouver in recent years, frequently exacerbated by bouts of hot weather. Vancouver city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung said the city is doing what it can to address the issue. 'We put steps in place when I was on the Park Board such as offering free mobile (sewage) pump outs to boats, so trying to work towards addressing all the possible sources,' she said. 'Vancouver, being one of the oldest cities in the region, does not have all separated sewers, so we have been advancing the speed of that work. That's very costly and it takes a long time to do that.' Kirby-Yung added that the city has now dedicated one per cent of property tax to a dedicated infrastructure renewal fund aimed at speeding up that type of work. But she said given Vancouver's geography, the problem can likely only be minimized, not eradicated. In the meantime, officials are encouraging people to enjoy the beaches but steer clear of the ocean, and to ensure they wash their hands and shower thoroughly if they do come in contact with the water. 'At this point, we are expecting these beaches to remain closed over the weekend for the most part,' Schwandt said. Story continues below advertisement 'In the coming week we will hope for improved (E. coli) counts, and if that's the case, we will be able to reopen the beaches to swimming.'
