WEBINAR SERIES A NIST-Hosted Webinar on Measuring SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater and Fecal Material: A Call for Standards

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 1-3PM ET

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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