{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "0f5e5f872b3543a6b5d5cd654eaccef3", "timestamp": "2026-09-08T10:05:32.614Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/0f5e5f872b3543a6b5d5cd654eaccef3.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/0f5e5f872b3543a6b5d5cd654eaccef3"}}, "title": "Long-term SARS-CoV-2 surveillance in the wastewater of Stockholm: What lessons can be learned from the Swedish perspective?", "authors": [{"family": "Perez-Zabaleta", "given": "Mariel", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Archer", "given": "Amena", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Khatami", "given": "Kasra", "initials": "K"}, {"family": "Jafferali", "given": "Mohammed Hakim", "initials": "MH"}, {"family": "Nandy", "given": "Prachi", "initials": "P"}, {"family": "Atasoy", "given": "Merve", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Birgersson", "given": "Madeleine", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Williams", "given": "Cecilia", "initials": "C"}, {"family": "Cetecioglu", "given": "Zeynep", "initials": "Z"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2023-02-01", "journal": {"title": "Sci. Total Environ.", "issn": "1879-1026", "volume": "858", "issue": "Pt 3", "pages": "160023", "issn-l": "0048-9697"}, "abstract": "Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) can be used to track the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a population. This study presents the learning outcomes from over two-year long monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in Stockholm, Sweden. The three main wastewater treatment plants in Stockholm, with a total of six inlets, were monitored from April 2020 until June 2022 (in total 600 samples). This spans five major SARS-CoV-2 waves, where WBE data provided early warning signals for each wave. Further, the measured SARS-CoV-2 content in the wastewater correlated significantly with the level of positive COVID-19 tests (r = 0.86; p << 0.0001) measured by widespread testing of the population. Moreover, as a proof-of-concept, six SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern were monitored using hpPCR assay, demonstrating that variants can be traced through wastewater monitoring. During this long-term surveillance, two sampling protocols, two RNA concentration/extraction methods, two calculation approaches, and normalization to the RNA virus Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were evaluated. In addition, a study of storage conditions was performed, demonstrating that the decay of viral RNA was significantly reduced upon the addition of glycerol to the wastewater before storage at -80 \u00b0C. Our results provide valuable information that can facilitate the incorporation of WBE as a prediction tool for possible future outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 and preparations for future pandemics.", "doi": "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160023", "pmid": "36356735", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC9640212"}, {"db": "pii", "key": "S0048-9697(22)07123-6"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-21T11:28:30.042Z", "modified": "2026-08-21T11:28:30.070Z"}