A Wastewater Epidemiological Approach to Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Surveillance on University Campuses
Brennan Withers
Department of Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Archana Anand
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have disproportionately impacted adolescents and young adults, with people aged 15-24 accounting for approximately half of new infections. Rates of STI incidence are measured by positive tests, which are only administered when a patient seeks care (often when they have STI symptoms). As a result, true STI prevalence may be underestimated because asymptomatic and untested individuals are not represented in clinical surveillance data. Wastewater epidemiology has gained popularity during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as an effective means of capturing community level trends from pooled anonymous samples. In this study, we propose that wastewater epidemiology can be particularly effective as a complimentary method of monitoring STIs on university campuses. We will analyze wastewater collected from San Francisco State University using metagenomic methods, focusing on the detection and seasonal prevalence (wet vs. dry seasons) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Treponema pallidum. Ultimately, integrating wastewater data with existing clinical and public health surveillance could help universities better tailor sexual health resources, outreach, and prevention strategies to campus needs.