What’s in the Water?: Detecting Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in Treasure Valley Wastewater

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) gained prominence as a reliable method for predicting SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks and trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. We modified the technique to detect Chlamydia ( C. trachomatis ) and Gonorrhea ( N. gonorrhoeae ) in wastewater sourced from four wastewater facilities in the Treasure Valley (West, Lander, Meridian, and Nampa) using variations of two extraction methods, the AllPrep PowerViral DNA/RNA Mini Kit and paper filtration (0.22µm and 0.45µm). Both pathogens were detected in samples from both Boise, Idaho facilities (West and Lander) on three of the six days tested ( N. gonorrhoeae 6/14/23, and C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae 6/19/23 and 6/28/23). Neither pathogen was detected in samples from the Meridian and Nampa facilities. Pathogens were detected in 25% of all treatment facilities sampled. The 0.22µm filter paper produced positive results in 3 of 4 tests (75%), while the 0.45µm paper did not produce any positive results. Surprisingly, Nanotrap A, designed for viral detection, was more effective in detecting the bacteria than Nanotrap B, designed for bacterial detection (50% vs 33%).