Dr Kata Farkas

Environmental Virologist

Contact info

Environment Centre Wales

School of Natural Sciences

Bangor University

Bangor LL57 2UW, UK

Phone: +44 (0) 1248 382615

Email: k.farkas@bangor.ac.uk

Google Scholar

I competed my PhD in microbiology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand in 2014. My research focused on the fate and behaviour of enteric viruses in groundwater. After finishing my studies, I was involved in various project that uses viral metagenomics approaches to identify viruses (both known and novel) in various ecosystems. Since 2015, I have been working at the Bangor University, on the Viraqua Project (www.viraqua.uk; 2015-2018) and at the Shellfish Centre (2019-onward).

My research focuses on the ecology and survival of viruses in the aquatic environment with a special interest in the fate of enteric viruses. Enteric viruses are responsible for the majority of gastroenteral illnesses globally putting an enormous burden on healthcare systems and the wider economy. These pathogens are often found in water reservoirs (recreational and drinking water sources, shellfish harvesting areas) and hence responsible for water- and foodborne outbreaks. I design and validate methods for the recovery of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment in order to quantify infectious viruses, understand viral ecology, describe novel and emerging strains and model viral transport in the environment.

  1. Published

    Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments—a Review

    Hassard, F., Gwyther, C. L., Farkas, K., Andrews, A., Jones, V., Cox, B., Brett, H., Jones, D., McDonald, J. & Malham, S., 1 Nov 2016, In: Frontiers in Microbiology.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  2. Published

    Site Specific Relationships between COVID-19 Cases and SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Wastewater Treatment Plant Influent

    Fitzgerald, S. F., Rossi, G., Low, A. S., McAteer, S. P., O'Keefe, B., Findlay, D., Cameron, G. J., Pollard, P., Singleton, P. T. R., Ponton, G., Singer, A. C., Farkas, K., Jones, D. L., Graham, D. W., Quintela-Baluja, M., Tait-Burkard, C., Gally, D. L., Kao, R. & Corbishley, A., 16 Nov 2021, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 55, 22, p. 15276-15286 11 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  3. Published

    Critical Evaluation of CrAssphage as a Molecular Marker for Human-Derived Wastewater Contamination in the Aquatic Environment

    Farkas, K., Adriaenssens, E. M., Walker, D. I., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 1 Jun 2019, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 11, 2, p. 113-119

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  4. Comparative assessment of Nanotrap and polyethylene glycol-based virus concentration in wastewater samples

    Farkas, K., Kevill, J. L., Williams, R. C., Pântea, I., Ridding, N., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Woodhall, N., Grimsley, J. M. S., Wade, M. J., Singer, A. C., Weightman, A. J., Cross, G. & Jones, D. L., 5 Mar 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: FEMS microbes. 5, xtae007.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Published

    Concentration and Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater Using Polyethylene Glycol-Based Concentration and qRT-PCR.(vol 4, 17, 2021)

    Farkas, K., Hillary, L. S., Thorpe, J., Walker, D. I., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 12 Nov 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 4

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. Serological responses to Cryptosporidium antigens in inhabitants of Hungary using conventionally filtered surface water and riverbank filtered drinking water

    Farkas, K., Plutzer, J., Moltchanova, E., Torokne, A., Varro, M. J., Domokos, K., Frost, F. & Hunter, P. R., Oct 2015, In: Epidemiology and Infection. 143, 13, p. 2743-2747

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. Published

    Two-Step Concentration of Complex Water Samples for the Detection of Viruses

    Farkas, K., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 10 Sept 2018, In: Methods and Protocols. 1, 3, 35.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. Published

    Rapid Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Variant-Associated Mutations in Wastewater Using Real-Time RT-PCR

    Farkas, K., Pellett, C., Williams, R., Alex-Sanders, N., Bassano, I., Brown, M. R., Denise, H., Grimsley, J. M. S., Kevill, J. L., Khalifa, M. S., Pântea, I., Story, R., Wade, M. J., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 14 Feb 2023, In: Microbiology Spectrum. 11, 1, e0317722.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Published

    Seasonal and diurnal surveillance of treated and untreated wastewater for human enteric viruses

    Farkas, K., Marshall, M., Cooper, D., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Peters, D. E., Maloney, J. D. & Jones, D. L., Nov 2018, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 25, 33, p. 33391-33401

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Published

    Evaluation of Molecular Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Pathogen-Derived Nucleic Acids in Sediment

    Farkas, K., Hassard, F., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D., 24 Jan 2017, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 6, p. 1-12 53.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. Published

    Adsorption of Rotavirus, MS2 Bacteriophage and Surface-Modified Silica Nanoparticles to Hydrophobic Matter

    Farkas, K., Pang, L. & Varsani, A., 1 Sept 2015, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 7, 3, p. 261-268

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Published

    Comparative Assessment of Filtration- and Precipitation-Based Methods for the Concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses from Wastewater

    Farkas, K., Pellett, C., Alex-Sanders, N., Bridgman, M. T. P., Corbishley, A., Grimsley, J. M. S., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Kevill, J. L., Pantea, I., Richardson-O'Neill, I. S., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 31 Aug 2022, In: Microbiology Spectrum. 10, 4, 16 p., spectrum.01102-22.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  13. Published

    Investigating awareness, fear and control associated with norovirus and other pathogens and pollutants using best–worst scaling

    Farkas, K., Green, E., Rigby, D., Cross, P., Tyrrel, S., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 27 May 2021, In: Scientific Reports. 11, 1, 11 p., 11194.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  14. Published

    Viral indicators for tracking domestic wastewater contamination in the aquatic environment

    Farkas, K., Walker, D., Adriaenssens, E., McDonald, J., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 15 Aug 2020, In: Water Research. 181, 115926.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  15. Published

    Emerging technologies for the rapid detection of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment

    Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Walker, D., Aug 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 16, p. 1-6

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  16. Published

    Concentration and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using polyethylene glycol-based concentration and qRT-PCR

    Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Thorpe, J., Walker, D., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 23 Feb 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 1, 10 p., 17.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  17. Published

    Evaluation of Two Triplex One-Step qRT-PCR Assays for the Quantification of Human Enteric Viruses in Environmental Samples

    Farkas, K., Peters, D. E., McDonald, J., de Rougemont, A., Malham, S. & Jones, D., Sept 2017, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 9, 3, p. 342-349

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  18. Published

    Diurnal changes in pathogenic and indicator virus concentrations in wastewater

    Farkas, K., Pântea, I., Woodhall, N., Williams, D., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Williams, R. C., Grimsley, J. M. S., Singer, A. C. & Jones, D. L., Dec 2023, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 30, 59, p. 123785-123795 11 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Near-source passive sampling for monitoring viral outbreaks within a university residential setting

    Farkas, K., Kevill, J. L., Adwan, L., Garcia-Delgado, A., Dzay, R., Grimsley, J. M. S., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Wade, M. J., Williams, R. C., Martin, J., Drakesmith, M., Song, J., McClure, V. & Jones, D. L., 8 Feb 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Epidemiology and Infection. 152, p. e31

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Published

    Size exclusion-based purification and PCR-based quantitation of MS2 bacteriophage particles for environmental applications

    Farkas, K., Varsani, A., Marjoshi, D., Easingwood, R., McGill, E. & Pang, L., 1 Mar 2015, In: Journal of Virological Methods. p. 135-138

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Published

    Wastewater-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 at UK airports and its potential role in international public health surveillance

    Farkas, K., Williams, R., Alex-Sanders, N., Grimsley, J. M. S., Pântea, I., Wade, M. J., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 19 Jan 2023, In: PLOS global public health. 3, 1, e0001346.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. Published

    Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19

    Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Malham, S., McDonald, J. & Jones, D. L., Oct 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 17, p. 14-20 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  23. Published

    A Gel Filtration-Based Method for the Purification of Infectious Rotavirus Particles for Environmental Research Applications

    Farkas, K., Pang, L., Lin, S., Williamson, W., Easingwood, R., Fredericks, R., Jaffer, M. A. & Varsani, A., 1 Dec 2013, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 5, 4, p. 231-235

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  24. Published

    Assessment of wastewater derived pollution using viral monitoring in two estuaries

    Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Sorby, R., Winterbourn, B., Allender, S., Gregory, C. G. M., Holding, P., Thorpe, J. M., Malham, S. K. & Le Vay, L., 1 Mar 2024, In: Marine pollution bulletin. 200, 116081.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  25. Published

    Prevalence and relative risk of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under five years in Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis

    Digwo, D., Chidebelu, P., Ugwu, K., Adediji, A., Farkas, K. & Chigor, V., Feb 2023, In: Pathogens and Global Health. 117, 1, p. 24-35 12 p., 2043223.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review