Zhou, Nicolette A.Fagnant-Sperati, Christine S.Komen, EvansMwangi, BenlickMukubi, JohnstoneNyangao, JamesHassan, JoanneChepkurui, AgnesMaina, CarolineVan Zyl, Walda B.Matsapola, P.N. (Peter)Wolfaardt, MarianneNgwana, F.B. (Fhatuwani)Jeffries-Miles, StaceyCoulliette-Salmond, AngelaPenaranda, SilviaShirai, Jeffry H.Kossik, Alexandra L.Beck, Nicola K.Wilmouth, RobynBoyle, David S.Burns, Cara C.Taylor, Maureen B.Borus, PeterMeschke, John Scott2020-09-112020-09-112020-03Zhou, N.A., Fagnant-Sperati, C.S., Komen, E. et al. Feasibility of the Bag-Mediated Filtration System for Environmental Surveillance of Poliovirus in Kenya. Food and Environmental Virology 12, 35–47 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-019-09412-1.1867-0334 (print)1867-0342 (online)10.1007/s12560-019-09412-1http://hdl.handle.net/2263/76144The bag-mediated filtration system (BMFS) was developed to facilitate poliovirus (PV) environmental surveillance, a supplement to acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in PV eradication efforts. From April to September 2015, environmental samples were collected from four sites in Nairobi, Kenya, and processed using two collection/concentration methodologies: BMFS (> 3 L filtered) and grab sample (1 L collected; 0.5 L concentrated) with two-phase separation. BMFS and two-phase samples were analyzed for PV by the standard World Health Organization poliovirus isolation algorithm followed by intratypic differentiation. BMFS samples were also analyzed by a cell culture independent real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) and an alternative cell culture method (integrated cell culture-rRT-PCR with PLC/PRF/5, L20B, and BGM cell lines). Sabin polioviruses were detected in a majority of samples using BMFS (37/42) and two-phase separation (32/42). There was statistically more frequent detection of Sabin-like PV type 3 in samples concentrated with BMFS (22/42) than by two-phase separation (14/42, p = 0.035), possibly due to greater effective volume assayed (870 mL vs. 150 mL). Despite this effective volume assayed, there was no statistical difference in Sabin-like PV type 1 and Sabin-like PV type 2 detection between these methods (9/42 vs. 8/42, p = 0.80 and 27/42 vs. 32/42, p = 0.18, respectively). This study demonstrated that BMFS can be used for PV environmental surveillance and established a feasible study design for future research.en© The Author(s) 2019. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Bag-mediated filtration system (BMFS)WastewaterEnvironmental monitoringEnvironmental surveillancePoliovirusTwo-phase separationArticle