02600nas a2200289 4500008004100000245015500041210006900196260000800265300001400273490000600287520161600293100002001909700001801929700001801947700002101965700001701986700001502003700001902018700001902037700002502056700001902081700002002100700001902120700002602139700001902165856012602184 2025 eng d00aLong-term genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in campus wastewater depicts lineage trends and public health implications during and after omicron waves0 aLongterm genomic surveillance of SARSCoV2 in campus wastewater d cJUN a908–9190 v33 a

SARS-CoV-2 transmission and detection on academic campuses in low- to middle-income countries has not been explored. The present study explored wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in a campus setting in Pune, Maharashtra, India, offering insights into variant-specific trends and their correlation with clinical cases over a 2.5 year period from November 2021 to April 2024. We collected 242 wastewater samples from the campus sewershed and processed them to extract RNA and perform RT-qPCR and sequencing, followed by lineage assignment using the LCS tool. Early signals of different SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as BA.2.X, JN.1.X, and KP.2.X, were detected in wastewater prior to its first clinical report in Maharashtra, India. Wastewater viral load strongly correlated with clinical cases during the Omicron phase (ρ = 0.73–0.81) compared to the post-Omicron phase (ρ = −0.06 to 0.31). This study also highlights that alerts and warnings issued on the basis of wastewater viral hikes have proven instrumental in preventing outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 variants on campus. However, downgrading COVID-19 from pandemic status by the WHO resulted in a subsequent decrease in public vigilance, changing the viral dynamic in the last phase of the study. This study showcases the utility of wastewater surveillance in a campus setting as an early warning system and understands the interplay of public health policy effects in viral dynamics within controlled ecosystems, such as campuses or offices.

1 aPramanik, Rinka1 aRajput, Vinay1 aMalik, Vinita1 aNannaware, Kiran1 aMatra, Sejal1 aJoshi, Sai1 aKumar, Shubham1 aSamson, Rachel1 aYadav, Rakesh, Kumar1 aShah, Priyanki1 aShashidhara, LS1 aDastager, Syed1 aKarmodiya, Krishanpal1 aDharne, Mahesh uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/long-term-genomic-surveillance-sars-cov-2-campus-wastewater-depicts-lineage-trends-and