CityPath
Environmental surveillance, the regular wastewater and air sampling of congregate settings, is a cost-effective and non-invasive way to protect public health. The information gathered through environmental surveillance serves as an early detection system that identifies viruses before they appear in other ways. To advance environmental surveillance both within the United States and abroad, CityPath deploys air and wastewater pathogen testing technologies through three major initiatives: CityPath Exemplar, CityPath National, and CityPath Global.
CityPath Exemplar
Lungfish operates an air sampling program in healthcare facilities in Missouri and Wisconsin. Similarly, the Lungfish team conducts deep sequencing of viruses and other pathogens found in wastewater. Data from these activities have detected multiple viruses including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. Since different viruses require different prevention methods and the populations of concern vary according to age and other factors, this data helps clinicians and public health practitioners to safeguard the community's health.
CityPath National
Lungfish has built on the activities conducted in Wisconsin and Missouri to expand to other urban areas of the United States. Similar to the benefits of Lungfish's work in Wisconsin and Missouri, the data from air and wastewater sampling results in a stronger public health response, increased community awareness and the advancement of pathogen monitoring technologies, all of which have been prioritized by municipal governments throughout the country.
CityPath Global
The Lungfish team is also applying its knowledge and experience in environmental surveillance to help international partners conduct air and wastewater sampling. This form of international cooperation will not only result in new knowledge about environmental surveillance, but it will also lead to innovation and refinement of sampling techniques and technologies as this work is conducted in multiple settings with diverse health systems and epidemiological profiles.
NaturePath
More than ever before, the health of humans, animals and the natural environment is inextricably
linked. Human activity in the modern era shapes the way pathogens emerge from their natural
reservoirs through urbanization, global air travel, agriculture and many other activities. In fact,
75% of emerging infectious diseases and nearly all recent pandemics are zoonoses, pathogens
originating from animals.
Despite the significant health, economic and societal impact of these recent pandemics, current
routine surveillance is designed to focus on known diseases and clinical symptoms found in human
patients. Health security experts have determined that using metagenomic sequencing to assess
unusual disease patterns in humans and animals while simultaneously conducting random environmental
sampling to capture pathogen circulation is a crucial element of future pandemic preparedness. In
particular, the sampling of wastewater is needed because it offers a way to detect pathogens of
pandemic potential prior to their manifestation in human patients.
NaturePath aims to respond to this need by performing pathogen-agnostic sequencing of water samples
that represent a wide diversity of wildlife with the goal of being able to recognize potential
emerging pathogens while gaining a better understanding of the viral diversity from disparate
ecosystems. A primary focus of NaturePath's activity is on pathogens of pandemic potential such
as avian H5N1 influenza, but an important secondary focus will be a more general survey of viral
dynamics in wildlife.
Survey of pandemic-potential viruses
Through NaturePath, the Lungfish team is collecting and analyzing environmental samples to
determine the dynamics of viral pathogens, particularly from migrating birds which are the
primary source of new influenza viruses.
Report on the dynamics and diversity of the virosphere in wildlife
Through NaturePath, the Lungfish team is using environmental sampling to determine the
dynamics of viral pathogens in wildlife.
InfinitePath
The next pandemic is likely to be caused by a respiratory pathogen because of their high rate
of transmissibility from person to person.
Health security experts recognize surveillance of respiratory pathogens as essential for pandemic
preparedness. InfinitePath addresses this need by creating a pathogen-agnostic sequencing method
designed to detect and monitor respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses in indoor air samples.
Enhanced Health Facility Preparedness
The platform enables simultaneous detection of multiple airborne viruses, improving response
to viral threats and allowing facilities to implement tailored infection prevention measures.
Reduced Disease Burden
By gathering viral data through air sampling, early detection becomes possible, enabling
professionals to intervene quickly and implement targeted mitigation strategies based on
identified pathogens.
Viral Ecology Advancement
Comprehensive viral surveillance reveals transmission dynamics and patterns across seasons
that targeted testing approaches might miss.
Scalable Surveillance Models
Methods developed in Wisconsin and Missouri can be adapted for implementation in other
U.S. cities and international locations.
SproutingPath
SproutingPath aims to be an innovative educational initiative that bridges the gap between
the research practiced in laboratories at universities, government laboratories, industry,
public health departments and the communities that they serve.
The initiative develops curricula focused on teaching pathogen detection from environmental
sources including air and wastewater, operating as a grassroots program to build community
awareness of environmental surveillance tools.
Educated Workforce
Creating an educated workforce ready to tackle future public health challenges through
skills-based and hands-on undergraduate curriculum.
Innovation Through Education
Believing students are key to developing novel solutions to environmental surveillance
methods and public health outreach efforts.
Public Science Literacy
Creating educational opportunities for the public to learn more about science and
implications of environmental surveillance.
Educational Resources
Publishing education resources for use across disciplines and educational avenues.
Environmental surveillance is becoming increasingly more important for the security of our
communities, and training the next generation of scientists for pandemic preparedness is paramount.
Strengthening scientist-to-public communication is essential for effective future pandemic responses.