Detection of Antibiotic Resistances in Wastewater – Research at the Robert Koch Institute in the Field of Nosocomial Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistances

This project introduces the concept of an early warning system for antibiotic resistance in wastewater. Research focuses on carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales in the Leipzig metropolitan area. Various methods, including culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches, digital PCR, and metagenomics, are used to identify resistance genes or resistant bacteria and determine their prevalence. Detection limits of the different methods are established and compared. The identified resistances are cross-checked with data from nearby medical facilities to ensure the results are clinically and public health relevant ("plausibility check").

Detection of Polioviruses in Wastewater Samples – Project of the Robert Koch Institute at the National Reference Center for Poliomyelitis and Enteroviruses in Cooperation with the Federal Environment Agency

Currently, in Germany, a syndromic surveillance of hospitalized patients suspected of having aseptic meningitis/encephalitis or acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is being conducted to monitor polio freedom (Enterovirus Surveillance, EVSurv). However, in the final phase of polio eradication, wastewater sample testing as an early warning system could play an increasingly important role. Therefore, a cell-culture-based method for sensitive detection of polioviruses in wastewater samples has been established at the National Reference Center for Poliomyelitis and Enteroviruses at the RKI (NRZ PE) in cooperation with the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) (BMG-funded pilot project 2019–2023).
As part of a research project (BMG funding 2023–2026), various molecular methods for direct detection of polioviruses in wastewater samples are being developed to assess their value in evaluating the epidemiological situation.

Sequencing Methods in Wastewater Samples – Research of the Robert Koch Institute in the Field of Methods Development and Research Infrastructure

The research project at the RKI aims to establish and validate sequencing methods and bioinformatics analyses to analyze SARS-CoV-2 virus variants and other pathogens in wastewater samples. Based on protocols developed by the scientific community during the pandemic for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater samples, the RKI, together with external partners like the Federal Environment Agency and the Max Delbrück Center, compares innovative approaches for enriching genetic material and sequencing it. This includes already used amplicon protocols, as well as the application of capture sequencing, metagenomics, and selective sequencing. These methods aim to contribute to the systematic monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and strengthen public health through early detection of virus variants and other pathogens. The project supports the expansion of integrated surveillance systems and aims to improve the epidemiological assessment.

PhD Project at the Robert Koch Institute at the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Research

In the PhD project "AI-assisted monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens using wastewater-based epidemiology," the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze and interpret data from SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance is being explored. A focus is on investigating the spread of viral loads within the wastewater surveillance network and the impact of environmental factors such as rainfall or chemicals from industrial wastewater on the measured viral loads. Furthermore, sequencing data from virus fragments in wastewater will be used to identify and track the emergence and spread of known and unknown virus variants. In addition to clinical monitoring, wastewater-based analyses aim to better understand the development of the infection dynamics in Germany. Together with projects from other departments at the Robert Koch Institute, this project aims to integrate the findings and developed methods into the surveillance of other pathogens and contribute to the public health service's ability to prepare for future pandemics.