Grant: Alliance Grants

The proposed research aims to develop early screening wastewater surveillance methods to detect and measure infectious disease outbreaks in small, remote, and Indigenous communities. In such communities, individual testing for infectious diseases is challenging, so wastewater surveillance can complement it and provide valuable information. Health disparities related to communicable diseases and environmental health persist in Indigenous communities compared to the rest of Canada, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited access to clean drinking water and healthcare services in these communities contributes to the spread of diseases. Wastewater surveillance (WWS), particularly for SARS-CoV-2, has become a vital tool globally. However, it has been mostly applied in larger and wealthier communities, and little research exists for small Indigenous communities. The unique infrastructure and challenges of these communities require tailored WWS methods. The research project will focus on the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq in Nunavik and aims to optimize WWS methods, sample collection, and analysis for targeted infectious diseases (COVID-19, Influenza, RSV and especially Tuberculosis). The project will develop a WWS method applicable to the decentralized wastewater collection system based on trucks in these communities. The research program will use multidisciplinary methods, including engineering, statistics, and public health, combining historical data analysis, fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and modeling. Ultimately, the goal is to help local and regional authorities understand disease propagation and implement effective public health interventions to prevent and limit outbreaks. This research aims to create a more resilient and healthier communities and serve as a model for other Indigenous communities facing similar challenges.