Comparative Analysis of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Wastewater: A Transcontinental Wastewater-based Epidemiology Study Between Canadian and Japanese Communities

It is estimated that more than 1 million cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired globally each day and significantly impact sexual and reproductive health. Existing STI outbreak surveillance methods rely largely on clinical reporting which can underestimate the scale of community outbreaks, primarily due to asymptomatic cases and patient test avoidance resulting from either negative social stigma or lack of access to testing. This study will employ a wastewater-based epidemiological (WBE) approach using qRT-PCR to detect and quantify 3-4 common STIs in wastewater collected from Canadian and Japanese communities. Once quantified, microbial titres present in the wastewater can be correlated with clinical cases, lending a new insight into community infection rates. Additionally, antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health concern, particularly surrounding Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Therefore, samples with positive detection will be further analyzed using Next Generation Sequencing to determine variant composition and resistance rates. A transcontinental comparative analysis will aid in understanding STI spread and resistance, while the WBE approach is crucial for rapid monitoring and outbreak intervention.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jean-Paul Desaulniers

Student:

Partner:

Kyushu Institute of Technology

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

Program: