This week's national wastewater surveillance highlights substantial increases in human pathogen signals, most notably Enterovirus D, which showed a 4.0-fold elevation above its 8-week baseline at Columbia, MO, Riverside, CA, and Boise, ID. Other noteworthy changes include a 3.9-fold increase in human papillomavirus at Boise, ID, and St. Louis, MO, as well as a 3.4-fold increase in norovirus genogroup IV at Boise, ID, and Palo Alto, CA. Such multi-fold increases over baseline suggest a shift in the underlying viral nucleic acid patterns at these locations, though specific causes cannot be determined from wastewater metagenomics alone.
Several sites also reported elevated absolute abundances of key human enteric viruses. Columbia, MO, Chicago, IL, and Riverside, CA all exhibited high signals of norovirus genogroup I, genogroup II, sapporo virus, salivirus, and rotavirus C. While high levels of these viruses are often observed due to their persistent endemic presence in wastewater, such concurrent elevations across multiple sites further underscore active background circulation. Boise, ID, is notable this week for concurrent increases in a range of human virus signals, including norovirus genogroup IV and human papillomavirus.
Regarding nationally-monitored respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid was detected at six sites, including Riverside, CA; Boise, ID; and Kansas City, MO. The relative signals for SARS-CoV-2 remain within ranges observed in prior weeks, with no indication of large-scale shifts or unusual increases based on this period’s data. Influenza A/B and RSV are not mentioned in the current dataset, implying stable or low signal levels in the monitored sites; absence from this summary does not confirm absence in the community.
Signals for human viruses that are typically rare—such as parechovirus A, observed at eight sites including Columbia, MO, and Riverside, CA—indicate increased nucleic acid abundance in these areas. Likewise, relative increases in human papillomavirus at Boise, ID, and St. Louis, MO (3.9 times above baseline) and the detection of norovirus genogroup IV at Boise, ID, and Palo Alto, CA, may warrant closer monitoring in upcoming weeks. It is important to note, however, that fold changes are calculated over a short baseline and can be influenced by sampling variation.
Animal-host viruses such as coronavirus tegacovirus and coronavirus pedacovirus also showed elevated statistical flags at several sites. These viruses are routine constituents of municipal wastewater, originating from sources such as food waste and pet contributions, and their detection—even at high levels—does not indicate human infection or any direct human health implication.
Continued routine vaccination for preventable diseases, practicing good hand and surface hygiene, and staying home when symptomatic remain the standard public health recommendations. Note that recent data from Houston, TX, and Kauai County, HI, are two weeks behind; Greater Boston, Sacramento, Ontario (CA), and Madison (WI) also report with a one-week delay, which may affect the completeness of this summary for those locations.