During the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, a wastewater testing program was underway. Lane County’s Senior Public Health Officer, Dr. Patrick Luedtke, headed up the effort to test sewage for a variety of viruses.
Once all the medals had been won and the athletes and guests from 200 countries were gone — results from the wastewater tests were reviewed. Luedtke says three Omicron variants (Ba.2, BA.4 and BA.5) were detected but health officials were relieved to find no new COVID variants or subvariants.
Luedtke said a surprising find from the waste in our sewers was Hepatitis A. “It was likely linked to somebody who traveled here,” he said. “And it’s really a heads up to us that we have a great Hepatitis-A vaccine—two doses and you are done for life you never need a booster. Those people who are not protected, Hepatitis A is still out there.”
Luedtke said there hasn’t been a Hepatitis A outbreak in the region for quite a while.
The virus causes a highly contagious liver infection which affects the organ’s ability to function.
