World Youth Day 2023 - non-endemic infectious disease surveillance through wastewater analyses

Valério, Elisabete; Palminha, Paula; Neves, Raquel; Cadinha, Luis; Ferreira, João Duarte; Correia, Paulo; Medeiros, Inês

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/9120

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Authors

Ferreira, João Duarte

Correia, Paulo

Medeiros, Inês

Abstract(s)

The World Youth Day (WYD) is an event that mobilizes millions of people from all over the world. It is an event promoted by the Catholic Church mainly focused on young people and aims to bring together representatives from all Catholic countries. In 2023, WYD was held in Portugal, hosted in Lisbon between August 1st and 6th. Other satellite events prior to WYD were promoted throughout the country. Portimão Municipality agreed to collaborate with the “Welcome to Paradise” festival between the 26th and 31st of July, before traveling to Lisbon for WYD. THE PROBLEM: 4000 young people were expected to arrive from 27 countries, on 5 continents, that were accommodated in 10 schools in the municipality of Portimão. There was a very diverse epidemiological context, namely the endemic diseases in the origin countries. Taking into account the high proximity of the different groups in provisionary accommodation establishments, we could suppose that the conditions could favor the spread of a non-endemic infectious disease with the potential to pressure available health services beyond their capacity to respond. AIM Monitor possible introduction of non-endemic infectious disease into the community, through analyses of the wastewater. THE APPROACH: The Barlavento Public Health Unit carried out a survey of endemic diseases in each country of origin of the participants. In order to monitor the possible introduction of a non-endemic disease into the community, focused on poliovirus, a protocol was established with the National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge to monitor some diseases through the analysis of wastewater from the Portimão WWTP before, during and after the event. Research was carried out on non-endemic Poliovirus, and other endemic agents as control: Non Polio Enterovirus, adenovirus, Hepatitis A virus and Norovirus GI and GII search. RESULTS: Monitoring carried out on wastewater in Portimão before arrival, upon departure and 10 days after departure was always negative for Poliovirus and Hepatitis A virus and always positive for Norovirus I and II, Non Polio Enterovirus and Adenovirus. CONCLUSIONS: This Case Study of the wastewater monitoring performed allowed to discard the worries raised with such a high dimension event. This kind of approach is important, since we have already verified that wastewater analysis might be a relevant early warning system for public health risks.

Keywords

Wastewater Surveilance Polio Virus Enteric Virus World Youth Day Infectious Disease Surveillance Doenças Evitáveis pela Vacinação Avaliação do Risco Água e Solo Saúde Ambiental Public Health