Identification of circulating Human papillomavirus types through high-throughput sequencing of Canadian municipal and institutional wastewater samples

The ubiquitous global distribution and limitations of clinical surveillance for Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), a diverse group of viruses that infect human mucosal and cutaneous tissues, make it an ideal candidate for wastewater-based testing (WBT). WBT involves analyzing sewage influent for pathogens and has proven effective in monitoring other viruses, by providing a community-level view of infection markers. A direct-to-sequencing approach targeting conserved GP5+/GP6+ sites was employed, using high-throughput Illumina-based amplicon sequencing to identify circulating HPV types in wastewater samples collected.