First Detection of the Monkeypox Virus Using Wastewater-Based Surveillance in Miami-Dade County

Measurements of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA from wastewater have been utilized for evaluating the prevalence of COVID-19 illness within communities and other sites, such as institutions of higher learning. A wastewater-based surveillance program was established at the University of Miami to monitor SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels and subsequently exploited to detect both RNA and DNA of additional biological targets present in concentrated wastewater samples. Here we report on the use of wastewater to detect nucleic acids of Monkeypox virus (MPXV) which has recently emerged to become a concern worldwide. Results show that MPXV can be detected in wastewater based on PCR amplification of both MPXV DNA and RNA. Levels of MPXV nucleic acids in wastewater generally reflect the trends of clinical cases in the community and since its initial detection, MPXV levels have remained above PCR detection limits throughout the sampling period. We recommend the expansion of current wastewater-based programs’ methods to detect a broader range of pathogens of concern in wastewater and propose complementary approaches that target both DNA and RNA to increase the sensitivity of detecting disease causing pathogens within communities.