451
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SanJuan-Reyes S, Gómez-Oliván LM, Islas-Flores H. COVID-19 in the environment. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 263:127973. [PMID: 32829224 PMCID: PMC7426221 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In recent months, the presence of an emerging disease of infectious etiology has paralyzed everyone, already being a public health problem due to its high rate of infection, a life-threatening disease. The WHO has named it COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV2). New studies provide information of the role of the environment in COVID-19 transmission process, mortality related to this infectious disease and the impact on human health. The following review aims to analyze information on the implications of COVID-19 infection on human health and the impact of its presence on the environment, from its transmission capacity and the role of air pollutants and climatological factors to reducing the air pollution during confinement. Likewise, it provides a vision of the impact on the environment and human health of exposure to disinfectants and the presence of COVID-19 in wastewater, among other actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sindy SanJuan-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma Del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan S/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma Del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan S/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Hariz Islas-Flores
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma Del Estado de México, Paseo Colón Intersección Paseo Tollocan S/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
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452
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Bishai M. A comprehensive study of COVID-19 in wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT OF NOVEL CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19 ) 2021. [PMCID: PMC8237500 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85780-2.00015-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse effect on human health, economy, and diverse environments. Besides the general transmission of the virus through air droplets and human-to-human contact; it is also transmitted while infecting the digestive system, which subsequently is defecated through the feces. Such fecal transmission can cause a major environmental distress, causing community transmission. This chapter attempts to investigate thoroughly the types of aquatic water bodies and addresses their role in the viral dissemination to combat SARS-CoV-2. It further enlightens the need for wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) studies for surveillance as well as for early warning signal. The study could provide a comprehensive approach for designing effective strategies in the context of COVID-19 to counter the viral transmission and its deactivation. It also serves as a working paper for scholars and strategy regulators for planning and development of a new set-up from the global to the local level.
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453
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Alygizakis N, Markou AN, Rousis NI, Galani A, Avgeris M, Adamopoulos PG, Scorilas A, Lianidou ES, Paraskevis D, Tsiodras S, Tsakris A, Dimopoulos MA, Thomaidis NS. Analytical methodologies for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: Protocols and future perspectives. Trends Analyt Chem 2021; 134:116125. [PMID: 33235400 PMCID: PMC7677696 DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.116125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In March 2020 the World Health Organization announced a pandemic outbreak. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative pathogen for the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The authorities worldwide use clinical science to identify infected people, but this approach is not able to track all symptomatic and asymptomatic cases due to limited sampling capacity of the testing laboratories. This drawback is eliminated by the Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) approach. In this review, we summarized the peer-reviewed published literature (available as of September 28, 2020), in the field of WBE. The commonly used steps (sampling, storage, concentration, isolation, detection) of the analytical protocols were identified. The potential limitations of each stage of the protocols and good practices were discussed. Finally, new methods for the efficient detection of SARS-CoV-2 were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikiforos Alygizakis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Athina N Markou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos I Rousis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Galani
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Margaritis Avgeris
- Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis G Adamopoulos
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Evi S Lianidou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Paraskevis
- Department of Hygiene Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Sotirios Tsiodras
- Fourth Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University General Hospital Attikon, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Athanassios Tsakris
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | | | - Nikolaos S Thomaidis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
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454
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Deidda S, Tora L, Firinu D, Del Giacco S, Campagna M, Meloni F, Orrù G, Chessa L, Carta MG, Melis A, Spolverato G, Littera R, Perra A, Onali S, Zorcolo L, Restivo A. Gastrointestinal coronavirus disease 2019: epidemiology, clinical features, pathogenesis, prevention, and management. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 15:41-50. [PMID: 32955375 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2020.1821653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 2019. Some authors reported pieces of evidence that patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection could have direct involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, and in symptomatic cases, gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain) could be very common. AREA COVERED In this article, we reviewed current-published data of the gastrointestinal aspects involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection, including prevalence and incidence of specific symptoms, the presumptive biological mechanism of GI infection, prognosis, clinical management, and public health-related concerns on the possible risk of oral-fecal transmission. EXPERT OPINION Different clues point to direct virus infection and replication in mucosal cells of the gastrointestinal tract. In vitro studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 could enter into the gastrointestinal epithelial cells by the Angiotensin-Converting enzyme two membrane receptor. These findings, coupled with the identification of viral RNA found in stools of patients, clearly suggest that direct involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is very likely. This can justify most of the gastrointestinal symptoms but also suggest a risk for an oral-fecal route for transmission, additionally or alternatively to the main respiratory route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Deidda
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical Science, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Lorena Tora
- Anahuac University, Comprehensive and Advanced Diagnostic Assessment for Cancer , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Davide Firinu
- Internal Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Marcello Campagna
- Occupational Health Section, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federico Meloni
- Occupational Health Section, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Germano Orrù
- Molecular Biology Service Lab, Department of Surgical Science, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luchino Chessa
- Center for the Study of Liver Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mauro Giovanni Carta
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Melis
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical Science, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Gaya Spolverato
- Section of Surgery, Department of Surgical, Oncological, and Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padova , Padua, Italy
| | - Roberto Littera
- Complex Structure of Medical Genetics, R.Binaghi Hospital, ASSL Cagliari , ATS Sardegna, Italy
| | - Andrea Perra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Simona Onali
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Luigi Zorcolo
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical Science, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
| | - Angelo Restivo
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical Science, University of Cagliari , Cagliari, Italy
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455
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da Silva PG, Mesquita JR, de São José Nascimento M, Ferreira VAM. Viral, host and environmental factors that favor anthropozoonotic spillover of coronaviruses: An opinionated review, focusing on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 750:141483. [PMID: 32829257 PMCID: PMC7405882 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors play a key role in the zoonotic transmission of emerging pathogenic viruses as mankind is constantly disturbing wildlife's ecosystems usually by cutting down forests to build human settlements or by catching wild animals for food, which deprives the viruses of their natural hosts and gives them opportunity to infect humans. In December 2019, a new coronavirus emerged from bats and was named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee for Taxonomy of Viruses, and the disease it causes named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. Disease outbreaks such as SARS in 2002-2003, MERS in 2012 and the current COVID-19 pandemic are the result of higher mutation rates of coronaviruses and their unique capacity for genetic recombination, resulting in adaptations that make them more suitable to cross the species barriers and infect other species. This ability for host switching and interspecies infection is often attributed to the great diversity of these viruses, which is a result of viral and host factors such as the low fidelity of their RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, the high frequency of their homologous RNA recombination, and the adaptation of the S protein to bind host receptors like the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the case of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DDP4) in MERS-CoV. This review presents an overview of the zoonotic transmission of SARS, MERS and COVID-19, focusing on the viral, host and environmental factors that favor the spillover of these viruses into humans, as well as the biological and ecological factors that make bats the perfect animal reservoir of infection for these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - João Rodrigo Mesquita
- Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria de São José Nascimento
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto (FFUP), Porto, Portugal
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456
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Liu D, Thompson JR, Carducci A, Bi X. Potential secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 749:142358. [PMID: 33370879 PMCID: PMC7490247 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has spread internationally and whilst the current focus of those dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic is understandably restricting its direct transmission, the potential for secondary transmission via wastewater should not be underestimated. The virus has been identified in human fecal and wastewater samples from different countries and potential cases of transmission via wastewater have been reported. Our recommendations for hospital wastewater treatment, municipal wastewater plants, sewage sludge, water reuse and aquatic environments are designed to reduce the risk of such transmission, and contribute to limiting the resurgence of COVID-19 as current restrictions are relaxed. A particular urgent recommendation focusses on supporting low-income countries in tackling the potential for secondary transmission via wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dasheng Liu
- Ecological Society of Shandong, Zhijinshi Jie 12, Jinan 250012, China.
| | - Julian R Thompson
- UCL Department of Geography, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Annalaura Carducci
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via S. Zeno 35/39, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Xuejun Bi
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Fushun Lu 11, Qingdao 266033, China
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457
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Lu D, Huang Z, Luo J, Zhang X, Sha S. Primary concentration - The critical step in implementing the wastewater based epidemiology for the COVID-19 pandemic: A mini-review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 747:141245. [PMID: 32768768 PMCID: PMC7382349 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
The recent outbreak of a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has posed a significant global public health threat and caused dramatic social and economic disruptions. A new research direction is attracting a significant amount of attention in the academic community of environmental sciences and engineering, in which rapid community-level monitoring could be achieved by applying the methodology of wastewater based epidemiology (WBE). Given the fact that the development of a mass balance on the total number of viral RNA copies in wastewater samples and the infected stool specimens is the heart of WBE, the result of the quantitative RNA detection in wastewater has to be highly sensitive, accurate, and reliable. Thus, applying effective concentration methods before the subsequent RNA extraction and RT-qPCR detection is a must-have procedure for the WBE. This review provides new insights into the primary concentration methods that have been adopted by the eighteen recently reported COVID-19 wastewater detection studies, along with a brief discussion of the mechanisms of the most commonly used virus concentration methods, including the PEG-based separation, electrostatically charged membrane filtration, and ultrafiltration. In the end, two easy and well-proven concentration strategies are recommended as below, aiming to maximize the practical significance and operational effectiveness of the SARS-CoV-2 virus concentration from wastewater samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingnan Lu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Zhuangrong Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Jiayue Luo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Xiaoqi Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
| | - Sha Sha
- Center for Biomedical Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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458
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Aguiar-Oliveira MDL, Campos A, R. Matos A, Rigotto C, Sotero-Martins A, Teixeira PFP, Siqueira MM. Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) and Viral Detection in Polluted Surface Water: A Valuable Tool for COVID-19 Surveillance-A Brief Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E9251. [PMID: 33321987 PMCID: PMC7764684 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17249251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Disease clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic to severe multiple organ damage. SARS-CoV-2 uses ACE2 as a cellular receptor, which is abundantly expressed in the small intestine, allowing viral replication in the gastrointestinal tract. Viral RNA has been detected in the stool of COVID-19 patients and viable viruses had been isolated in some of these samples. Thus, a putative role of SARS-CoV-2 fecal-oral transmission has been argued. SARS-CoV-2 is shed in human excreta and further disposed in the sewerage or in the environment, in poor basic sanitation settings. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a valuable population level approach for monitoring viral pathogens and has been successfully used in different contexts. This review summarizes the current global experience on SARS-CoV-2 WBE in distinct continents and viral detection in polluted surface water. The advantages and concerns of this strategy for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance are discussed. Outcomes suggest that WBE is a valuable early warning alert and a helpful complementary surveillance tool to subside public health response, to tailor containment and mitigation measures and to determine target populations for testing. In poor sanitation settings, contaminated rivers could be alternatively used as a source for environmental surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria de Lourdes Aguiar-Oliveira
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and COVID-19 for the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil; (A.R.M.); (M.M.S.)
| | - Aline Campos
- State Center for Health Surveillance, Rio Grande do Sul State Department of Health. Av. Ipiranga, 5400, Porto Alegre CEP 90610-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil;
| | - Aline R. Matos
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and COVID-19 for the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil; (A.R.M.); (M.M.S.)
| | - Caroline Rigotto
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo CEP 93525-075, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil;
| | - Adriana Sotero-Martins
- Department of Sanitation and Environmental Health, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca (ENSP), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil;
| | - Paulo F. P. Teixeira
- Former World Health Organization WHO/PAHO Regional Advisor on Water and Sanitation, Environmental Health, Porto Alegre CEP 90035-002, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil;
| | - Marilda M. Siqueira
- Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and COVID-19 for the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil; (A.R.M.); (M.M.S.)
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459
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Bivins A, Greaves J, Fischer R, Yinda KC, Ahmed W, Kitajima M, Munster VJ, Bibby K. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in Water and Wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2020; 7:937-942. [PMID: 37566354 PMCID: PMC7553037 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA is frequently detected in the feces of infected individuals. While infectious SARS-CoV-2 has not previously been identified in wastewater, infectious SARS-CoV-2 has been isolated from the feces of at least one patient, raising concerns about the presence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The fate and inactivation characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 in water and wastewater are unknown, with current inactivation estimates based on surrogate models. In this study, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and RNA signal was determined in water and wastewater. The times for 90% reduction (T90) of viable SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and tap water at room temperature were 1.5 and 1.7 days, respectively. In high-starting titer (105 TCID50 mL-1) experiments, infectious virus persisted for the entire 7-day sampling time course. In wastewater at 50 and 70 °C, the observed T90 values for infectious SARS-CoV-2 were decreased to 15 and 2 min, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found to be significantly more persistent than infectious SARS-CoV-2, indicating that the environmental detection of RNA alone does not substantiate risk of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
& Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Indiana 46556, United States
- Environmental Change Initiative,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46566,
United States
| | - Justin Greaves
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
& Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Robert Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
(RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,
United States
| | - Kwe Claude Yinda
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
(RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,
United States
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water,
Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102,
Australia
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering,
Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo,
Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Vincent J. Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
(RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,
United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
& Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Indiana 46556, United States
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460
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Trottier J, Darques R, Ait Mouheb N, Partiot E, Bakhache W, Deffieu MS, Gaudin R. Post-lockdown detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the wastewater of Montpellier, France. One Health 2020. [PMID: 32835069 DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.08.20148882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic can be monitored through the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage. Here, we measured the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the inflow point of the main waste water treatment plant (WWTP) of Montpellier, France. We collected samples 4 days before the end of lockdown and up to 70 days post-lockdown. We detected increased amounts of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the WWTP from mid-June on, whereas the number of new COVID-19 cases in the area started increasing a couple of weeks later. Future epidemiologic investigations shall explain such asynchronous finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Trottier
- CNRS, ART-Dev, Site Saint-Charles, Rue du Professeur Henri Serre, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Regis Darques
- CNRS, ART-Dev, Site Saint-Charles, Rue du Professeur Henri Serre, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Nassim Ait Mouheb
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- INRAE, UMR G-eau, 361 Rue Jean-François Breton, 34196 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Emma Partiot
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - William Bakhache
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Maika S Deffieu
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Raphael Gaudin
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
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461
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Kumar M, Patel AK, Shah AV, Raval J, Rajpara N, Joshi M, Joshi CG. First proof of the capability of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 in India through detection of genetic material of SARS-CoV-2. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 746:141326. [PMID: 32768790 PMCID: PMC7386605 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
We made the first ever successful effort in India to detect the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 viruses to understand the capability and application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) surveillance in India. Sampling was carried out on 8 and 27 May 2020 at the Old Pirana Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Ahmedabad, Gujarat that receives effluent from Civil Hospital treating COVID-19 patients. All three, i.e. ORF1ab, N and S genes of SARS-CoV-2, were found in the influent with no genes detected in effluent collected on 8 and 27 May 2020. Increase in SARS-CoV-2 genetic loading in the wastewater between 8 and 27 May 2020 samples concurred with corresponding increase in the number of active COVID-19 patients in the city. The number of gene copies was comparable to that reported in untreated wastewaters of Australia, China and Turkey and lower than that of the USA, France and Spain. However, temporal changes in SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations need to be substantiated further from the perspectives of daily and short-term changes of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater through long-term monitoring. The study results SARS-CoV-2 will assist concerned authorities and policymakers to formulate and/or upgrade COVID-19 surveillance to have a more explicit picture of the pandemic curve. While infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 through the excreted viral genetic material in the aquatic environment is still being debated, the presence and detection of genes in wastewater systems makes a strong case for the environmental surveillance of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India; Kiran C Patel Centre for Sustainable Development, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
| | - Arbind Kumar Patel
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India
| | - Anil V Shah
- Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Paryavaran Bhavan, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 010, India
| | - Janvi Raval
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
| | - Neha Rajpara
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
| | - Madhvi Joshi
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
| | - Chaitanya G Joshi
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
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Kumar M, Patel AK, Shah AV, Raval J, Rajpara N, Joshi M, Joshi CG. First proof of the capability of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 in India through detection of genetic material of SARS-CoV-2. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020. [PMID: 32768790 DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.16.20133215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
We made the first ever successful effort in India to detect the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 viruses to understand the capability and application of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) surveillance in India. Sampling was carried out on 8 and 27 May 2020 at the Old Pirana Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) at Ahmedabad, Gujarat that receives effluent from Civil Hospital treating COVID-19 patients. All three, i.e. ORF1ab, N and S genes of SARS-CoV-2, were found in the influent with no genes detected in effluent collected on 8 and 27 May 2020. Increase in SARS-CoV-2 genetic loading in the wastewater between 8 and 27 May 2020 samples concurred with corresponding increase in the number of active COVID-19 patients in the city. The number of gene copies was comparable to that reported in untreated wastewaters of Australia, China and Turkey and lower than that of the USA, France and Spain. However, temporal changes in SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations need to be substantiated further from the perspectives of daily and short-term changes of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater through long-term monitoring. The study results SARS-CoV-2 will assist concerned authorities and policymakers to formulate and/or upgrade COVID-19 surveillance to have a more explicit picture of the pandemic curve. While infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 through the excreted viral genetic material in the aquatic environment is still being debated, the presence and detection of genes in wastewater systems makes a strong case for the environmental surveillance of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India; Kiran C Patel Centre for Sustainable Development, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
| | - Arbind Kumar Patel
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India
| | - Anil V Shah
- Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Paryavaran Bhavan, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 010, India
| | - Janvi Raval
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
| | - Neha Rajpara
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
| | - Madhvi Joshi
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
| | - Chaitanya G Joshi
- Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Sector- 11, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 011, India
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463
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunz Yannic
- Department of Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Horninger Wolfgang
- Department of Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Pinggera Germar-Michael
- Department of Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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464
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Mao K, Zhang H, Yang Z. An integrated biosensor system with mobile health and wastewater-based epidemiology (iBMW) for COVID-19 pandemic. Biosens Bioelectron 2020; 169:112617. [PMID: 32998066 PMCID: PMC7492834 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused a significant public health challenge worldwide. A lack of effective methods for screening potential patients, rapidly diagnosing suspected cases, and accurately monitoring of the epidemic in real time to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19 raises significant difficulties in mitigating the epidemic in many countries. As effective point-of-care diagnosis tools, simple, low-cost and rapid sensors have the potential to greatly accelerate the screening and diagnosis of suspected patients to improve their treatment and care. In particular, there is evidence that multiple pathogens have been detected in sewage, including SARS-CoV-2, providing significant opportunities for the development of advanced sensors for wastewater-based epidemiology that provide an early warning of the pandemic within the population. Sensors could be used to screen potential carriers, provide real-time monitoring and control of the epidemic, and even support targeted drug screening and delivery within the integration of emerging mobile health (mHealth) technology. In this communication, we discuss the feasibility of an integrated point-of-care biosensor system with mobile health for wastewater-based epidemiology (iBMW) for early warning of COVID-19, screening and diagnosis of potential infectors, and improving health care and public health. The iBMW will provide an effective approach to prevent, evaluate and intervene in a fast, affordable and reliable way, thus enabling real-time guidance for the government in providing effective intervention and evaluating the effectiveness of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.
| | - Zhugen Yang
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL, United Kingdom.
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465
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Ahmed W, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Haramoto E, Hewitt J, Huygens F, Gyawali P, Korajkic A, Riddell S, Sherchan SP, Simpson SL, Sirikanchana K, Symonds EM, Verhagen R, Vasan SS, Kitajima M, Bivins A. Decay of SARS-CoV-2 and surrogate murine hepatitis virus RNA in untreated wastewater to inform application in wastewater-based epidemiology. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110092. [PMID: 32861728 PMCID: PMC7451058 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) demonstrates potential for COVID-19 community transmission monitoring; however, data on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater are needed to interpret WBE results. The decay rates of RNA from SARS-CoV-2 and a potential surrogate, murine hepatitis virus (MHV), were investigated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in untreated wastewater, autoclaved wastewater, and dechlorinated tap water stored at 4, 15, 25, and 37 °C. Temperature, followed by matrix type, most greatly influenced SARS-CoV-2 RNA first-order decay rates (k). The average T90 (time required for 1-log10 reduction) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA ranged from 8.04 to 27.8 days in untreated wastewater, 5.71 to 43.2 days in autoclaved wastewater, and 9.40 to 58.6 days in tap water. The average T90 for RNA of MHV at 4 to 37 °C ranged from 7.44 to 56.6 days in untreated wastewater, 5.58-43.1 days in autoclaved wastewater, and 10.9 to 43.9 days in tap water. There was no statistically significant difference between RNA decay of SARS-CoV-2 and MHV; thus, MHV is suggested as a suitable persistence surrogate. Decay rate constants for all temperatures were comparable across all matrices for both viral RNAs, except in untreated wastewater for SARS-CoV-2, which showed less sensitivity to elevated temperatures. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 RNA is likely to persist long enough in untreated wastewater to permit reliable detection for WBE application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400 -8511, Japan
| | - Joanne Hewitt
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Flavia Huygens
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Queensland University of Technology, 300 Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Shane Riddell
- CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | | | | | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Seshadri S Vasan
- CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia; Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0032, Japan
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
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466
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Trottier J, Darques R, Ait Mouheb N, Partiot E, Bakhache W, Deffieu MS, Gaudin R. Post-lockdown detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the wastewater of Montpellier, France. One Health 2020; 10:100157. [PMID: 32835069 PMCID: PMC7415170 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic can be monitored through the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage. Here, we measured the amount of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the inflow point of the main waste water treatment plant (WWTP) of Montpellier, France. We collected samples 4 days before the end of lockdown and up to 70 days post-lockdown. We detected increased amounts of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the WWTP from mid-June on, whereas the number of new COVID-19 cases in the area started increasing a couple of weeks later. Future epidemiologic investigations shall explain such asynchronous finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Trottier
- CNRS, ART-Dev, Site Saint-Charles, Rue du Professeur Henri Serre, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Regis Darques
- CNRS, ART-Dev, Site Saint-Charles, Rue du Professeur Henri Serre, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Nassim Ait Mouheb
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- INRAE, UMR G-eau, 361 Rue Jean-François Breton, 34196 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Emma Partiot
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - William Bakhache
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Maika S. Deffieu
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Raphael Gaudin
- Université de Montpellier, 163 Rue Auguste Broussonnet, 34090 Montpellier, France
- CNRS, Institut de Recherche en Infectiologie de Montpellier (IRIM), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
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467
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SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Impact on Pediatric Emergency Rooms: A Multicenter Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17238753. [PMID: 33255697 PMCID: PMC7728065 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
From 9 March to 3 May 2020, lockdown was declared in Italy due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Our aim was to evaluate how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and related preventive strategies affected pediatric emergency rooms (ERs) during this period. We performed a retrospective cohort multicenter study, comparing the lockdown period to the corresponding period in 2019. We examined 15 Italian pediatric ERs in terms of visit rates, specific diagnoses (grouped as air communicable diseases and non-air communicable diseases), and triage categories. During the lockdown period, ER admissions decreased by 81% compared to 2019 (52,364 vs. 10,112). All ER specific diagnoses decreased in 2020 and this reduction was significantly higher for air communicable diseases (25,462 vs. 2934, p < 0.001). Considering the triage category, red codes remained similar (1% vs. 1%), yellow codes increased (11.2% vs. 22.3%), and green codes decreased (80.3% vs. 69.5%). We can speculate that social distancing and simple hygiene measures drastically reduced the spread of air communicable diseases. The increase in yellow codes may have been related to a delay in primary care and, consequently, in ER admissions.
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468
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Corpuz MVA, Buonerba A, Vigliotta G, Zarra T, Ballesteros F, Campiglia P, Belgiorno V, Korshin G, Naddeo V. Viruses in wastewater: occurrence, abundance and detection methods. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 745:140910. [PMID: 32758747 PMCID: PMC7368910 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents an updated and comprehensive review on the different methods used for detection and quantification of viruses in wastewater treatment systems. The analysis of viability of viruses in wastewater and sludge is another thrust of this review. Recent studies have mostly focused on determining the abundance and diversity of viruses in wastewater influents, in samples from primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment stages, and in final effluents. A few studies have also examined the occurrence and diversity of viruses in raw and digested sludge samples. Recent efforts to improve efficiency of virus detection and quantification methods in the complex wastewater and sludge matrices are highlighted in this review. A summary and a detailed comparison of the pre-treatment methods that have been utilized for wastewater and sludge samples are also presented. The role of metagenomics or sequencing analysis in monitoring wastewater systems to predict disease outbreaks, to conduct public health surveillance, to assess the efficiency of existing treatment systems in virus removal, and to re-evaluate current regulations regarding pathogenic viruses in wastewater is discussed in this paper. Challenges and future perspectives in the detection of viruses, including emerging and newly emerged viruses such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in wastewater systems are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Vermi Aizza Corpuz
- Environmental Engineering Program, National Graduate School of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
| | - Antonio Buonerba
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
| | - Giovanni Vigliotta
- Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy.
| | - Tiziano Zarra
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
| | - Florencio Ballesteros
- Environmental Engineering Program, National Graduate School of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines; Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, 1101 Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy.
| | - Vincenzo Belgiorno
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
| | - Gregory Korshin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Box 352700, Seattle, WA 98105-2700, United States.
| | - Vincenzo Naddeo
- Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED), Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy; Inter-University Centre for Prediction and Prevention of Major Hazards (C.U.G.RI.), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano (SA), Italy.
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469
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Variations among Viruses in Influent Water and Effluent Water at a Wastewater Plant over One Year as Assessed by Quantitative PCR and Metagenomics. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.02073-20. [PMID: 33036988 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02073-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Influent wastewater and effluent wastewater at the Rya treatment plant in Gothenburg, Sweden, were continuously monitored for enteric viruses by quantitative PCR (qPCR) during 1 year. Viruses in effluent wastewater were also identified by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in samples collected during spring, early summer, and winter. Samples of incoming wastewater were collected every second week. Seasonal variations in viral concentrations in incoming wastewater were found for noroviruses GII, sapovirus, rotavirus, parechovirus, and astrovirus. Norovirus GI and GIV and Aichi virus were present in various amounts during most weeks throughout the year, while hepatitis A virus, enterovirus, and adenovirus were identified less frequently. Fluctuations in viral concentrations in incoming wastewater were related to the number of diagnosed patients. The viruses were also detected in treated wastewater, however, with a 3- to 6-log10 reduction in concentration. Seven different hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains were identified in the effluents. Five of these strains belonged to genotype 3 and have been isolated in Sweden from swine, wild boars, and humans and in drinking water. The other two strains were divergent and had not been identified previously. They were similar to strains infecting rats and humans. Surveillance of enteric viruses in wastewater is a tool for early detection and follow-up of gastroenteritis outbreaks in society and for the identification of new viruses that can cause infection in humans.IMPORTANCE Both influent wastewater and treated wastewater at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) contain a high variety of human viral pathogens with seasonal variability when followed for 1 year. The peak of the amount of 11 different viruses in the inlet wastewater preceded the peak of the number of diagnosed patients by 2 to 4 weeks. The treatment of wastewater reduced viral concentrations by 3 to 6 log10 Despite the treatment of wastewater, up to 5 log10 virus particles per liter were released from into the surrounding river. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains previously identified in drinking water and two new strains, similar to those infecting rats and humans, were identified in the treated wastewater released from the WWTP.
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470
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Rimoldi SG, Stefani F, Gigantiello A, Polesello S, Comandatore F, Mileto D, Maresca M, Longobardi C, Mancon A, Romeri F, Pagani C, Cappelli F, Roscioli C, Moja L, Gismondo MR, Salerno F. Presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewaters and rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020. [PMID: 32693284 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.01.20086009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw wastewaters has been demonstrated in many countries affected by this pandemic. Nevertheless, virus presence and infectivity in treated wastewaters, but also in the receiving water bodies are still poorly investigated. In this study, raw and treated samples from three wastewater treatment plants, and three river samples within the Milano Metropolitan Area, Italy, were surveyed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by means of real time RT-PCR and infectivity test on culture cells. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in raw, but not in treated wastewaters (four and two samples, respectively, sampled in two dates). The isolated virus genome was sequenced, and belonged to the strain most spread in Europe and similar to another found in the same region. RNA presence in raw wastewater samples decreased after eight days, probably following the epidemiological trend estimated for the area. Virus infectivity was always null, indicating the natural decay of viral pathogenicity in time from emission. Samples from receiving rivers (three sites, sampled in the same dates as wastewaters) showed in some cases a positivity to real time RT-PCR, probably due to non-treated, or inefficiently treated discharges, or to the combined sewage overflows. Nevertheless, also for rivers infectivity was null. Risks for public health should be limited, although a precautionary approach to risk assessment is here advocated, giving the preliminary nature of the presented data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabrizio Stefani
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy.
| | - Anna Gigantiello
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Polesello
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Davide Mileto
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Mafalda Maresca
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Mancon
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Romeri
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Pagani
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Cappelli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy; Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Claudio Roscioli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moja
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | | | - Franco Salerno
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
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471
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Rimoldi SG, Stefani F, Gigantiello A, Polesello S, Comandatore F, Mileto D, Maresca M, Longobardi C, Mancon A, Romeri F, Pagani C, Cappelli F, Roscioli C, Moja L, Gismondo MR, Salerno F. Presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewaters and rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140911. [PMID: 32693284 PMCID: PMC7358170 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in raw wastewaters has been demonstrated in many countries affected by this pandemic. Nevertheless, virus presence and infectivity in treated wastewaters, but also in the receiving water bodies are still poorly investigated. In this study, raw and treated samples from three wastewater treatment plants, and three river samples within the Milano Metropolitan Area, Italy, were surveyed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by means of real time RT-PCR and infectivity test on culture cells. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in raw, but not in treated wastewaters (four and two samples, respectively, sampled in two dates). The isolated virus genome was sequenced, and belonged to the strain most spread in Europe and similar to another found in the same region. RNA presence in raw wastewater samples decreased after eight days, probably following the epidemiological trend estimated for the area. Virus infectivity was always null, indicating the natural decay of viral pathogenicity in time from emission. Samples from receiving rivers (three sites, sampled in the same dates as wastewaters) showed in some cases a positivity to real time RT-PCR, probably due to non-treated, or inefficiently treated discharges, or to the combined sewage overflows. Nevertheless, also for rivers infectivity was null. Risks for public health should be limited, although a precautionary approach to risk assessment is here advocated, giving the preliminary nature of the presented data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabrizio Stefani
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy.
| | - Anna Gigantiello
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Polesello
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Davide Mileto
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Mafalda Maresca
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Mancon
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Romeri
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Pagani
- University Hospital "L. Sacco", ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Cappelli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy; Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Claudio Roscioli
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moja
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Italy
| | | | - Franco Salerno
- Water Research Institute-National Research Council (IRSA-CNR), Brugherio, MB, Italy
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472
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Poch M, Garrido-Baserba M, Corominas L, Perelló-Moragues A, Monclús H, Cermerón-Romero M, Melitas N, Jiang SC, Rosso D. When the fourth water and digital revolution encountered COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140980. [PMID: 32687996 PMCID: PMC7363603 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is, undeniably, a substantial shock to our civilization which has revealed the value of public services that relate to public health. Ensuring a safe and reliable water supply and maintaining water sanitation has become ever more critical during the pandemic. For this reason, researchers and practitioners have promptly investigated the impact associated with the spread of SARS-CoV-2 on water treatment processes, focusing specifically on water disinfection. However, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts multiple aspects of the urban water sector besides those related to the engineering processes, including sanitary, economic, and social consequences which can have significant effects in the near future. Furthermore, this outbreak appears at a time when the water sector was already experiencing a fourth revolution, transitioning toward the digitalisation of the sector, which redefines the Water-Human-Data Nexus. In this contribution, a product of collaboration between academics and practitioners from water utilities, we delve into the multiple impacts that the pandemic is currently causing and their possible consequences in the future. We show how the digitalisation of the water sector can provide useful approaches and tools to help address the impact of the pandemic. We expect this discussion to contribute not only to current challenges, but also to the conceptualization of new projects and the broader task of ameliorating climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manel Poch
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Manel Garrido-Baserba
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Lluís Corominas
- ICRA, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Scientific and Technological Park, H2O Building, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Antoni Perelló-Moragues
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Hector Monclús
- LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, c/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, 17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Nikos Melitas
- Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, 1955 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90706, USA
| | - Sunny C Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - Diego Rosso
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; Water-Energy Nexus Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA.
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473
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Al Huraimel K, Alhosani M, Kunhabdulla S, Stietiya MH. SARS-CoV-2 in the environment: Modes of transmission, early detection and potential role of pollutions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140946. [PMID: 32687997 PMCID: PMC7361046 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading globally having a profound effect on lives of millions of people, causing worldwide economic disruption. Curbing the spread of COVID-19 and future pandemics may be accomplished through understanding the environmental context of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and adoption of effective detection tools and mitigation policies. This article aims to examine the latest investigations on SARS-CoV-2 plausible environmental transmission modes, employment of wastewater surveillance for early detection of COVID-19, and elucidating the role of solid waste, water, and atmospheric quality on viral infectivity. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via faecal-oral or bio-aerosols lacks robust evidence and remains debatable. However, improper disinfection and defected plumbing systems in indoor environments such as hospitals and high-rise towers may facilitate the transport of virus-laden droplets of wastewater causing infection. Clinical and epidemiological studies are needed to present robust evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is transmissible via aerosols, though quantification of virus-laden aerosols at low concentrations presents a challenge. Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 can be an effective tool in early detection of outbreak and determination of COVID-19 prevalence within a population, complementing clinical testing and providing decision makers guidance on restricting or relaxing movement. While poor air quality increases susceptibility to diseases, evidence for air pollution impact on COVID-19 infectivity is not available as infections are dynamically changing worldwide. Solid waste generated by households with infected individuals during the lockdown period may facilitate the spread of COVID-19 via fomite transmission route but has received little attention from the scientific community. Water bodies receiving raw sewage may pose risk of infection but this has not been investigated to date. Overall, our understanding of the environmental perspective of SARS-CoV-2 is imperative to detecting outbreak and predicting pandemic severity, allowing us to be equipped with the right tools to curb any future pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled Al Huraimel
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Alhosani
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shabana Kunhabdulla
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed Hashem Stietiya
- Division of Consultancy, Research & Innovation (CRI), Sharjah Environment Company - Bee'ah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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474
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Raeiszadeh M, Adeli B. A Critical Review on Ultraviolet Disinfection Systems against COVID-19 Outbreak: Applicability, Validation, and Safety Considerations. ACS PHOTONICS 2020; 7:2941-2951. [PMID: 37556269 PMCID: PMC7571309 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.0c01245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The global health-threatening crisis from the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), highlights the scientific and engineering potentials of applying ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technologies for biocontaminated air and surfaces as the major media for disease transmission. Nowadays, various environmental public settings worldwide, from hospitals and health care facilities to shopping malls and airports, are considering implementation of UV disinfection devices for disinfection of frequently touched surfaces and circulating air streams. Moreover, the general public utilizes UV sterilization devices for various surfaces, from doorknobs and keypads to personal protective equipment, or air purification devices with an integrated UV disinfection technology. However, limited understanding of critical UV disinfection aspects can lead to improper use of this promising technology. In this work, fundamentals of UV disinfection phenomena are addressed; furthermore, the essential parameters and protocols to guarantee the efficacy of the UV sterilization process in a human-safe manner are systematically elaborated. In addition, the latest updates from the open literature on UV dose requirements for incremental log removal of SARS-CoV-2 are reviewed remarking the advancements and existing knowledge gaps. This study, along with the provided illustrations, will play an essential role in the design and fabrication of effective, reliable, and safe UV disinfection systems applicable to preventing viral contagion in the current COVID-19 pandemic, as well as potential future epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Raeiszadeh
- Department of Chemical and Biological
Engineering, The University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4,
Canada
- Department of Research and
Development, Acuva Technologies, Burnaby,
BC V5J 5G5, Canada
| | - Babak Adeli
- Department of Research and
Development, Acuva Technologies, Burnaby,
BC V5J 5G5, Canada
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475
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No Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 Circulation in Rome (Italy) during the Pre-Pandemic Period: Results of a Retrospective Surveillance. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17228461. [PMID: 33207548 PMCID: PMC7696939 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 outbreak recorded over the previous months could be characterized as a pandemic. The first known Italian SARS-CoV-2 positive case was reported on 21 February. In some countries, cases of suspected “COVID-19-like pneumonia” had been reported earlier than those officially accepted by health authorities. This has led many investigators to check preserved biological or environmental samples to see whether the virus was detectable on dates prior to those officially stated. With regard to Italy, the results of a microbiological screening in sewage samples collected between the end of February and the beginning of April 2020 from wastewaters in Milan (Northern Italy) and Rome (Central Italy) showed presence of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we evaluated, by means of a standardized diagnostic method, the SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence amongst patients affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARI) in an academic hospital located in Central Italy during the period of 1 November 2019–1 March 2020. Overall, the number of emergency room (ER) visits during the investigated period was 13,843. Of these, 1208 had an influenza-like syndrome, but only 166 matched the definition of SARI as stated in the study protocol. A total of 52 SARI cases were laboratory confirmed as influenza: 26 as a type B virus, 25 as a type A, and 1 as both viruses. Although about 17% of the total sample had laboratory or radiological data compatible with COVID-19, all the nasopharyngeal swabs stored underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and tested negative. Based on our result, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic spread did not start prior to the “official” onset in central Italy. Routine monitoring of SARI causative agents at the local level is critical for reporting epidemiologic and etiologic trends that may differ from one country to another and also among different influenza seasons. This has a practical impact on prevention and control strategies.
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476
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Foladori P, Cutrupi F, Segata N, Manara S, Pinto F, Malpei F, Bruni L, La Rosa G. SARS-CoV-2 from faeces to wastewater treatment: What do we know? A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140444. [PMID: 32649988 PMCID: PMC7311891 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 287] [Impact Index Per Article: 71.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been found in the faeces of infected patients in numerous studies. Stool may remain positive for SARS-CoV-2, even when the respiratory tract becomes negative, and the interaction with the gastrointestinal tract poses a series of questions about wastewater and its treatments. This review aims to understand the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in faeces and sewage and its fate in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The viral load in the faeces of persons testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 was estimated at between 5·103 to 107.6 copies/mL, depending on the infection course. In the sewerage, faeces undergo dilution and viral load decreases considerably in the wastewater entering a WWTP with a range from 2 copies/100 mL to 3·103 copies/mL, depending on the level of the epidemic. Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage, although no evidence of COVID-19 transmission has been found via this route, could be advantageously exploited as an early warning of outbreaks. Preliminary studies on WBE seem promising; but high uncertainty of viral loads in wastewater and faeces remains, and further research is needed. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage, based on RNA sequences and RT-PCR, requires a shared approach on sample pre-treatment and on-site collection to ensure comparable results. The finding of viral RNA in stools does not imply that the virus is viable and infectious. Viability of CoVs such as SARS-CoV-2 decreases in wastewater - due to temperature, pH, solids, micropollutants - but high inactivation in WWTPs can be obtained only by using disinfection (free chlorine, UVC light). A reduction in the quantity of disinfectants can be obtained by implementing Membrane-Bioreactors with ultrafiltration to separate SARS-CoV-2 virions with a size of 60-140 nm. In sludge treatment, thermophilic digestion is effective, based on the general consensus that CoVs are highly sensitive to increased temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Foladori
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cutrupi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Nicola Segata
- Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Serena Manara
- Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Federica Pinto
- Department of Cellular Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Francesca Malpei
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Bruni
- ADEP, Agenzia per la Depurazione (Wastewater Treatment Agency), Autonomous Province of Trento, via Gilli 3, 38121 Trento, Italy
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
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477
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Sherchan SP, Shahin S, Ward LM, Tandukar S, Aw TG, Schmitz B, Ahmed W, Kitajima M. First detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in North America: A study in Louisiana, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140621. [PMID: 32758821 PMCID: PMC7833249 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 352] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater samples in southern Louisiana, USA. Untreated and treated wastewater samples were collected on five occasions over a four-month period from January to April 2020. The wastewater samples were concentrated via ultrafiltration (Method A), and an adsorption-elution method using electronegative membranes (Method B). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 2 out of 15 wastewater samples using two reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays (CDC N1 and N2). None of the secondary treated and final effluent samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in North America, including the USA. However, concentration methods and RT-qPCR assays need to be refined and validated to increase the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2100, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Shalina Shahin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2100, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Lauren M Ward
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2100, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Sarmila Tandukar
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Tiong G Aw
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2100, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Bradley Schmitz
- Loudoun Water, 44865 Loudoun Water Way, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
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478
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Wang S, Green HC, Wilder ML, Du Q, Kmush BL, Collins MB, Larsen DA, Zeng T. High-throughput wastewater analysis for substance use assessment in central New York during the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:2147-2161. [PMID: 33104143 DOI: 10.1039/d0em00377h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater entering sewer networks represents a unique source of pooled epidemiological information. In this study, we coupled online solid-phase extraction with liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry to achieve high-throughput analysis of health and lifestyle-related substances in untreated municipal wastewater during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Twenty-six substances were identified and quantified in influent samples collected from six wastewater treatment plants during the COVID-19 pandemic in central New York. Over a 12 week sampling period, the mean summed consumption rate of six major substance groups (i.e., antidepressants, antiepileptics, antihistamines, antihypertensives, synthetic opioids, and central nervous system stimulants) correlated with disparities in household income, marital status, and age of the contributing populations as well as the detection frequency of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in wastewater and the COVID-19 test positivity in the studied sewersheds. Nontarget screening revealed the covariation of piperine, a nontarget substance, with SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater collected from one of the sewersheds. Overall, this proof-of-the-concept study demonstrated the utility of high-throughput wastewater analysis for assessing the population-level substance use patterns during a public health crisis such as COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiru Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA.
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479
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Collivignarelli MC, Collivignarelli C, Carnevale Miino M, Abbà A, Pedrazzani R, Bertanza G. SARS-CoV-2 in sewer systems and connected facilities. PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION : TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTION OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS, PART B 2020; 143:196-203. [PMID: 32834559 PMCID: PMC7334965 DOI: 10.1016/j.psep.2020.06.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
As for the SARS coronavirus in the 2003 epidemic, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated in faeces and, in some cases, urine of infected people, as well as in wastewater. This paper proposes a critical review of the state of the art regarding studies on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and sewage sludge, the factors affecting its inactivation and the main proposed treatments. In-vitro tests demonstrated low resistance of SARS-CoV-2 to high temperature, while even significant changes in pH would not seem to determine the disappearance of the virus. In real wastewater and in sewage sludge, to date studies on the influence of the different parameters on the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 are not available. Therefore, studies involving other HCoVs such as SARS-CoV and HCoV-229E have been also considered, in order to formulate a hypothesis regarding its behaviour in sewage and throughout the steps of biological treatments in WWTPs. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater might track the epidemic trends: although being extremely promising, an effective and wide application of this approach requires a deeper knowledge of the amounts of viruses excreted through the faeces and the actual detectability of viral RNA in sewage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Collivignarelli
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for Water Research, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Carlo Collivignarelli
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Carnevale Miino
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Abbà
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Roberta Pedrazzani
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, via Branze 38, I-25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Bertanza
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123, Brescia, Italy
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480
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Gonzalez R, Curtis K, Bivins A, Bibby K, Weir MH, Yetka K, Thompson H, Keeling D, Mitchell J, Gonzalez D. COVID-19 surveillance in Southeastern Virginia using wastewater-based epidemiology. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 186:116296. [PMID: 32841929 PMCID: PMC7424388 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 297] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used to analyze markers in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent to characterize emerging chemicals, drug use patterns, or disease spread within communities. This approach can be particularly helpful in understanding outbreaks of disease like the novel Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) when combined with clinical datasets. In this study, three RT-ddPCR assays (N1, N2, N3) were used to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in weekly samples from nine WWTPs in southeastern Virginia. In the first several weeks of sampling, SARS-CoV-2 detections were sporadic. Frequency of detections and overall concentrations of RNA within samples increased from mid March into late July. During the twenty-one week study, SARS-CoV-2 concentrations ranged from 101 to 104 copies 100 mL-1 in samples where viral RNA was detected. Fluctuations in population normalized loading rates in several of the WWTP service areas agreed with known outbreaks during the study. Here we propose several ways that data can be presented spatially and temporally to be of greatest use to public health officials. As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, it is likely that communities will see increased incidence of small, localized outbreaks. In these instances, WBE could be used as a pre-screening tool to better target clinical testing needs in communities with limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States.
| | - Kyle Curtis
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156, Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156, Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Mark H Weir
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University,1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH43210, United States
| | - Kathleen Yetka
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Hannah Thompson
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - David Keeling
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Jamie Mitchell
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Dana Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
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481
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Perico L, Tomasoni S, Peracchi T, Perna A, Pezzotta A, Remuzzi G, Benigni A. COVID-19 and lombardy: TESTing the impact of the first wave of the pandemic. EBioMedicine 2020; 61:103069. [PMID: 33130396 PMCID: PMC7581396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Italy was the first western country to experience a large Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and the province of Bergamo experienced one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks in the world. Following the peak of the epidemic in mid-March, the curve has slowly fallen thanks to the strict lockdown imposed by the Italian government on 9th March 2020. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study to assess the prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in 423 workers in Bergamo province who returned to the workplace after the end of the Italian lockdown on 5th May 2020. To this end, we performed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the humoral response against SARS-CoV-2 and a nasopharyngeal swab to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). As a secondary aim of the study, we validated a lateral flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. FINDINGS ELISA identified 38.5% positive subjects, of whom 51.5% were positive for both IgG and IgM, 47.3% were positive only for IgG, but only 1.2% were positive for IgM alone. Only 23 (5.4%) participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by rRT-PCR, although with high cycle thresholds (between 34 and 39), indicating a very low residual viral load that was not able to infect cultured cells. All these rRT-PCR positive subjects had already experienced seroconversion. When the ELISA was used as the comparator, the estimated specificity and sensitivity of the rapid LFIA for IgG were 98% and 92%, respectively. INTERPRETATION the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the province of Bergamo reached 38.5%, significantly higher than has been reported for most other regions worldwide. Few nasopharyngeal swabs tested positive in fully recovered subjects, though with a very low SARS-CoV-2 viral load, with implications for infectivity and discharge policies for positive individuals in the post-pandemic period. The rapid LFIA used in this study is a valuable tool for rapid serologic surveillance of COVID-19 for population studies. FUNDING The study was supported by Regione Lombardia, Milano Serravalle - Milano Tangenziali S.p.A., Brembo S.p.A, and by MEI System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Perico
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Susanna Tomasoni
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Tobia Peracchi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Annalisa Perna
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Anna Pezzotta
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Remuzzi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Ariela Benigni
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy
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482
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Mapping Spatiotemporal Diffusion of COVID-19 in Lombardy (Italy) on the Base of Emergency Medical Services Activities. ISPRS INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEO-INFORMATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/ijgi9110639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The epidemic of coronavirus-disease-2019 (COVID-19) started in Italy with the first official diagnosis on 21 February 2020; hence, it is now known how many cases were already present in earlier days and weeks, thus limiting the possibilities of conducting any retrospective analysis. We hypothesized that an unbiased representation of COVID-19 diffusion in these early phases could be inferred by the georeferenced calls to the emergency number relevant to respiratory problems and by the following emergency medical services (EMS) interventions. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to identify the beginning of anomalous trends (change in the data morphology) in emergency calls and EMS ambulances dispatches and reconstruct COVID-19 spatiotemporal evolution on the territory of Lombardy region. Accordingly, a signal processing method, previously used to find morphological features on the electrocardiographic signal, was applied on a time series representative of territorial clusters of about 100,000 citizens. Both emergency calls and age- and gender-weighted ambulance dispatches resulted strongly correlated to COVID-19 casualties on a provincial level, and the identified local starting days anticipated the official diagnoses and casualties, thus demonstrating how these parameters could be effectively used as early indicators for the spatiotemporal evolution of the epidemic on a certain territory.
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483
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Ahmed W, Bertsch PM, Bivins A, Bibby K, Farkas K, Gathercole A, Haramoto E, Gyawali P, Korajkic A, McMinn BR, Mueller JF, Simpson SL, Smith WJM, Symonds EM, Thomas KV, Verhagen R, Kitajima M. Comparison of virus concentration methods for the RT-qPCR-based recovery of murine hepatitis virus, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 from untreated wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 739:139960. [PMID: 32758945 PMCID: PMC7273154 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 361] [Impact Index Per Article: 90.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
There is currently a clear benefit for many countries to utilize wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as part of ongoing measures to manage the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Since most wastewater virus concentration methods were developed and validated for nonenveloped viruses, it is imperative to determine the efficiency of the most commonly used methods for the enveloped severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Municipal wastewater seeded with a human coronavirus (CoV) surrogate, murine hepatitis virus (MHV), was used to test the efficiency of seven wastewater virus concentration methods: (A-C) adsorption-extraction with three different pre-treatment options, (D-E) centrifugal filter device methods with two different devices, (F) polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000) precipitation, and (G) ultracentrifugation. MHV was quantified by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the recovery efficiency was calculated for each method. The mean MHV recoveries ranged from 26.7 to 65.7%. The most efficient methods were adsorption-extraction methods with MgCl2 pre-treatment (Method C), and without pre-treatment (Method B). The third most efficient method used the Amicon® Ultra-15 centrifugal filter device (Method D) and its recovery efficiency was not statistically different from the most efficient methods. The methods with the worst recovery efficiency included the adsorption-extraction method with acidification (A), followed by PEG precipitation (F). Our results suggest that absorption-extraction methods with minimal or without pre-treatment can provide suitably rapid, cost-effective and relatively straightforward recovery of enveloped viruses in wastewater. The MHV is a promising process control for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance and can be used as a quality control measure to support community-level epidemic mitigation and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, 721 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, 721 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Amy Gathercole
- ComPath, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd. (ESR), Porirua 5240, New Zealand
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Brian R McMinn
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | | | - Wendy J M Smith
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0032, Japan
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484
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Martin J, Klapsa D, Wilton T, Zambon M, Bentley E, Bujaki E, Fritzsche M, Mate R, Majumdar M. Tracking SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage: Evidence of Changes in Virus Variant Predominance during COVID-19 Pandemic. Viruses 2020; 12:E1144. [PMID: 33050264 PMCID: PMC7601348 DOI: 10.3390/v12101144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, is frequently shed in faeces during infection, and viral RNA has recently been detected in sewage in some countries. We have investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples from South-East England between 14th January and 12th May 2020. A novel nested RT-PCR approach targeting five different regions of the viral genome improved the sensitivity of RT-qPCR assays and generated nucleotide sequences at sites with known sequence polymorphisms among SARS-CoV-2 isolates. We were able to detect co-circulating virus variants, some specifically prevalent in England, and to identify changes in viral RNA sequences with time consistent with the recently reported increasing global dominance of Spike protein G614 pandemic variant. Low levels of viral RNA were detected in a sample from 11th February, 3 days before the first case was reported in the sewage plant catchment area. SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration increased in March and April, and a sharp reduction was observed in May, showing the effects of lockdown measures. We conclude that viral RNA sequences found in sewage closely resemble those from clinical samples and that environmental surveillance can be used to monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission, tracing virus variants and detecting virus importations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martin
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (D.K.); (T.W.); (E.B.); (E.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Dimitra Klapsa
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (D.K.); (T.W.); (E.B.); (E.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Thomas Wilton
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (D.K.); (T.W.); (E.B.); (E.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Maria Zambon
- Respiratory Virology & Polio Reference Service, Public Health England, London NW9 5EQ, UK;
| | - Emma Bentley
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (D.K.); (T.W.); (E.B.); (E.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Erika Bujaki
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (D.K.); (T.W.); (E.B.); (E.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Martin Fritzsche
- Division of Analytical and Biological Sciences, NIBSC, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (M.F.); (R.M.)
| | - Ryan Mate
- Division of Analytical and Biological Sciences, NIBSC, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (M.F.); (R.M.)
| | - Manasi Majumdar
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK; (D.K.); (T.W.); (E.B.); (E.B.); (M.M.)
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485
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Zielinski S, Botero CM. Beach Tourism in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Critical Issues, Knowledge Gaps and Research Opportunities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7288. [PMID: 33036176 PMCID: PMC7579372 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17197288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The strict quarantine measures employed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic have led the global tourism industry to a complete halt, disrupting the livelihoods of millions. The economic importance of beach tourism for many destinations has led many governments to reopen tourist beaches, as soon as the number of infection cases decreased. The objective of this paper is to provide a scientific basis for understanding the key issues for beach tourism management in these circumstances. These issues include risk perception, environmental considerations directly related to beaches and COVID-19, and management strategies designed to limit the risk of contagion on the beach. The contribution of this paper lies in its interdisciplinary approach to delivering the findings from the latest studies, highly relevant for beach tourism, in psychology, health science, and environmental science (often in preprint and in press format). Particular attention was given to identifying the knowledge gaps evident in the areas of COVID-19 risk perception, with the drivers explaining the risk-taking behavior and the protective strategies employed by beachgoers. Gaps were also found in areas such as the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in bathing waters and the sand, the potential of contaminated sand being a viable route of transmission, and the impact of the use of chemical disinfectants on the marine environment and on bathers. The paper identifies research prospects in these areas, additionally pointing out other questions such as new carrying capacity methods, the opportunity given by COVID-19 in estimation of the impacts of visitation and beach-litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seweryn Zielinski
- Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05006, Korea
| | - Camilo M. Botero
- Grupo de Investigación en Sistemas Costeros, Playas Corporacion, Calle 19 8-44, Santa Marta 050022, Colombia;
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486
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Farkas K, Hillary LS, Malham SK, McDonald JE, Jones DL. Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2020; 17:14-20. [PMID: 32835157 PMCID: PMC7291992 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic viruses represent one of the greatest threats to human well-being. As evidenced by the COVID-19 global pandemic, however, halting the spread of highly contagious diseases is notoriously difficult. Successful control strategies therefore have to rely on effective surveillance. Here, we describe how monitoring wastewater from urban areas can be used to detect the arrival and subsequent decline of pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2. As the amount of virus shed in faeces and urine varies largely from person to person, it is very difficult to quantitatively determine the number of people who are infected in the population. More research on the surveillance of viruses in wastewater using accurate and validated methods, as well as subsequent risk analysis and modelling is paramount in understanding the dynamics of viral outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kata Farkas
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, UK
| | - Luke S Hillary
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Shelagh K Malham
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, UK
| | - James E McDonald
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - David L Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
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487
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Mandal P, Gupta AK, Dubey BK. A review on presence, survival, disinfection/removal methods of coronavirus in wastewater and progress of wastewater-based epidemiology. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2020; 8:104317. [PMID: 32834991 PMCID: PMC7403125 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2020.104317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the global pandemic coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19). The outbreak of COVID-19 as Public Health Emergency of International Concern is declared by World Health Organization on January 30, 2020. The known route of transmission is due to direct contact or via respiratory droplets. Recently, several studies reported SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) in wastewater treatment plant samples. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater may predict COVID-19 occurrence qualitatively and quantitatively. The concept is known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) or sewage epidemiology. The present study reviewed the presence of coronavirus in wastewater and investigations relating to WBE development as a tool to detect COVID-19 community transmission. Few articles reported a correlation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration in wastewater with the number of COVID-19 cases, whereas few reported higher prediction by wastewater surveillance than confirmed cases. The application of WBE is still in a preliminary stage but has the potential to indicate an early sign of transmission. The knowledge of persistence of coronavirus in municipal and hospital wastewater is needed for the application of WBE and to understand the chances of transmission. The studies reported more prolonged survival of coronavirus in low-temperature wastewater. Studies relating to the inactivation of coronavirus by disinfectants and removal of coronavirus are also presented. Research on the performance of the commonly adopted disinfection technologies in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 in municipal and hospital wastewater is required to reduce the risk associated with municipal and hospital wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pubali Mandal
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Ashok K Gupta
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Brajesh K Dubey
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
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488
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Haramoto E, Malla B, Thakali O, Kitajima M. First environmental surveillance for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and river water in Japan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 737:140405. [PMID: 32783878 PMCID: PMC7305903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 395] [Impact Index Per Article: 98.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology is a powerful tool to understand the actual incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a community because severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, can be shed in the feces of infected individuals regardless of their symptoms. The present study aimed to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and river water in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, using four quantitative and two nested PCR assays. Influent and secondary-treated (before chlorination) wastewater samples and river water samples were collected five times from a wastewater treatment plant and three times from a river, respectively, between March 17 and May 7, 2020. The wastewater and river water samples (200-5000 mL) were processed by using two different methods: the electronegative membrane-vortex (EMV) method and the membrane adsorption-direct RNA extraction method. Based on the observed concentrations of indigenous pepper mild mottle virus RNA, the EMV method was found superior to the membrane adsorption-direct RNA extraction method. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was successfully detected in one of five secondary-treated wastewater samples with a concentration of 2.4 × 103 copies/L by N_Sarbeco qPCR assay following the EMV method, with sequence confirmation of the qPCR product, whereas all the influent samples were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. This result could be attributed to higher limit of detection for influent (4.0 × 103-8.2 × 104 copies/L) with a lower filtration volume (200 mL) compared to that for secondary-treated wastewater (1.4 × 102-2.5 × 103 copies/L) with a higher filtration volume of 5000 mL. None of the river water samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Comparison with the reported COVID-19 cases in Yamanashi Prefecture showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the secondary-treated wastewater sample when the cases peaked in the community. This is the first study reporting the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan.
| | - Bikash Malla
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Ocean Thakali
- Environmental and Social System Science Course, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
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489
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Michael-Kordatou I, Karaolia P, Fatta-Kassinos D. Sewage analysis as a tool for the COVID-19 pandemic response and management: the urgent need for optimised protocols for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2020. [PMID: 32834990 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece:2020.104306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of July 29th 2020, more than 16,6 million cases have been reported in more than 188 countries/territories, leading to more than 659000 deaths. One of the main challenges facing health authorities has been testing for the virus on a sufficiently comprehensive scale. The pandemic has been an impetus for the wastewater community as it has inspired scientists to look to wastewater to help fill in the gap of measuring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 within a given community. Testing the wastewater may serve as an early warning system allowing timely interventions. Although viral shedding varies among individuals and over the course of their infection, the sewage system can blend these variations into an average that represents the wider studied community. The urgent need has led to a lack of coherent reporting of data regarding the analysis, as these huge and remarkable efforts by the wastewater scientific community were made in a very short time. Important information on the analytical approach is often lacking, while there is still no optimisation of the methodology, including sampling, sample storage and concentration, RNA extraction and detection/quantification. This review aims at identifying the main issues for consideration, relating to the development of validated methodological protocols for the virus quantitative analysis in wastewater. Their inclusion will enable the methodological optimisation of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater analyses, transforming the wastewater infrastructure into a source of useful information for the health sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Michael-Kordatou
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - P Karaolia
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - D Fatta-Kassinos
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
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490
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Hoseinzadeh E, Safoura Javan, Farzadkia M, Mohammadi F, Hossini H, Taghavi M. An updated min-review on environmental route of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 202:111015. [PMID: 32800237 PMCID: PMC7346818 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The risk of newly emerging diseases is constantly present in a world where changes occur significantly in climatic, commercial, and ecological conditions, in addition to the development of biomedical investigations in new situations. An epidemic respiratory disease instigated by a new coronavirus was initially identified in and has resulted in the current global dissemination. This viral strain and its related disease has been termed "SARS-CoV-2" and "coronavirus disease 2019" (abbreviated "COVID-19" or "2019-nCoV"), respectively, which is transmitted simply between individuals. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the COVID-19 outburst as a pandemic on March 11, which necessitates a cooperative endeavour globally for mitigating the spread of COVID-19. The absence of previous, and minimum present-day information, particularly concerning the path of contagion have precluded the control of this disease. The present article, therefore, describes the SARS-CoV-2 paths of contagion such as drinking water, solid waste, sewer water, ambient air, and the rest of emerging likely paths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edris Hoseinzadeh
- Student Research Committee, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran.
| | - Safoura Javan
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran.
| | - Mahdi Farzadkia
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Farshid Mohammadi
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
| | - Hooshyar Hossini
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
| | - Mahmoud Taghavi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Social Development & Health Promotion Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
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491
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Haramoto E, Malla B, Thakali O, Kitajima M. First environmental surveillance for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and river water in Japan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 737:140405. [PMID: 32783878 DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.04.20122747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology is a powerful tool to understand the actual incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a community because severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, can be shed in the feces of infected individuals regardless of their symptoms. The present study aimed to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and river water in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, using four quantitative and two nested PCR assays. Influent and secondary-treated (before chlorination) wastewater samples and river water samples were collected five times from a wastewater treatment plant and three times from a river, respectively, between March 17 and May 7, 2020. The wastewater and river water samples (200-5000 mL) were processed by using two different methods: the electronegative membrane-vortex (EMV) method and the membrane adsorption-direct RNA extraction method. Based on the observed concentrations of indigenous pepper mild mottle virus RNA, the EMV method was found superior to the membrane adsorption-direct RNA extraction method. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was successfully detected in one of five secondary-treated wastewater samples with a concentration of 2.4 × 103 copies/L by N_Sarbeco qPCR assay following the EMV method, with sequence confirmation of the qPCR product, whereas all the influent samples were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. This result could be attributed to higher limit of detection for influent (4.0 × 103-8.2 × 104 copies/L) with a lower filtration volume (200 mL) compared to that for secondary-treated wastewater (1.4 × 102-2.5 × 103 copies/L) with a higher filtration volume of 5000 mL. None of the river water samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Comparison with the reported COVID-19 cases in Yamanashi Prefecture showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the secondary-treated wastewater sample when the cases peaked in the community. This is the first study reporting the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan.
| | - Bikash Malla
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Ocean Thakali
- Environmental and Social System Science Course, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
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492
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Haramoto E, Malla B, Thakali O, Kitajima M. First environmental surveillance for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and river water in Japan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 737:140405. [PMID: 32783878 DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.04.201227472020.06.04.20122747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology is a powerful tool to understand the actual incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a community because severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, can be shed in the feces of infected individuals regardless of their symptoms. The present study aimed to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater and river water in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, using four quantitative and two nested PCR assays. Influent and secondary-treated (before chlorination) wastewater samples and river water samples were collected five times from a wastewater treatment plant and three times from a river, respectively, between March 17 and May 7, 2020. The wastewater and river water samples (200-5000 mL) were processed by using two different methods: the electronegative membrane-vortex (EMV) method and the membrane adsorption-direct RNA extraction method. Based on the observed concentrations of indigenous pepper mild mottle virus RNA, the EMV method was found superior to the membrane adsorption-direct RNA extraction method. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was successfully detected in one of five secondary-treated wastewater samples with a concentration of 2.4 × 103 copies/L by N_Sarbeco qPCR assay following the EMV method, with sequence confirmation of the qPCR product, whereas all the influent samples were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. This result could be attributed to higher limit of detection for influent (4.0 × 103-8.2 × 104 copies/L) with a lower filtration volume (200 mL) compared to that for secondary-treated wastewater (1.4 × 102-2.5 × 103 copies/L) with a higher filtration volume of 5000 mL. None of the river water samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Comparison with the reported COVID-19 cases in Yamanashi Prefecture showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the secondary-treated wastewater sample when the cases peaked in the community. This is the first study reporting the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan.
| | - Bikash Malla
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Ocean Thakali
- Environmental and Social System Science Course, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
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493
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Amoah ID, Kumari S, Bux F. Coronaviruses in wastewater processes: Source, fate and potential risks. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 143:105962. [PMID: 32711332 PMCID: PMC7346830 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The last 17 years have seen three major outbreaks caused by coronaviruses, with the latest outbreak, COVID-19, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The frequency of these outbreaks, their mortality and associated disruption to normal life calls for concerted efforts to understand their occurrence and fate in different environments. There is an increased interest in the occurrence of coronaviruses in wastewater from the perspective of wastewater-based epidemiology. However, there is no comprehensive review of the knowledge on coronavirus occurrence, fate and potential transmission in wastewater. This paper, provides a review of the literature on the occurrence of coronaviruses in wastewater treatment processes. We discuss the presence of viral RNA in feces as a result of diarrhoea caused by gastrointestinal infections. We also reviewed the literature on the presence, survival and potential removal of coronaviruses in common wastewater treatment processes. The detection of infectious viral particles in feces of patients raises questions on the potential risks of infection for people exposed to untreated sewage/wastewater. We, therefore, highlighted the potential risk of infection with coronaviruses for workers in wastewater treatment plants and the public that may be exposed through faulty plumbing or burst sewer networks. The mortalities and morbidities associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic warrants a much more focused research on the role of environments, such as wastewater and surface water, in disease transmission. The current wealth of knowledge on coronaviruses in wastewater based on the reviewed literature is scant and therefore calls for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Dennis Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Sheena Kumari
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa.
| | - Faizal Bux
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban 4000, South Africa
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494
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Rusiñol M, Martínez-Puchol S, Forés E, Itarte M, Girones R, Bofill-Mas S. Concentration methods for the quantification of coronavirus and other potentially pandemic enveloped virus from wastewater. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2020; 17:21-28. [PMID: 32839746 PMCID: PMC7437508 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
As the novel SARS-CoV-2 was detected in faeces, environmental researchers have been using centrifugal ultrafiltration, polyethylene glycol precipitation and aluminium hydroxide flocculation to describe its presence in wastewater samples. High recoveries (up to 65%) are described with electronegative filtration when using surrogate viruses, but few literature reports recovery efficiencies using accurate quantification of enveloped viruses. Considering that every single virus will have a different behaviour during viral concentration, it is recommended to use an enveloped virus, and if possible, a betacoronaviruses as murine hepatitis virus, as a surrogate. In this review, we show new data from a newly available technology that provides a quick ultrafiltration protocol for SARS-CoV-2. Wastewater surveillance is an efficient system for the evaluation of the relative prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in a community, and there is the need of using reliable concentration methods for an accurate and sensitive quantification of the virus in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Rusiñol
- Section of Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- GHS, Institute of Environmental Assessment & Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra Martínez-Puchol
- Section of Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- The Water Institute of the University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Forés
- Section of Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- The Water Institute of the University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Itarte
- Section of Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- The Water Institute of the University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosina Girones
- Section of Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- The Water Institute of the University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sílvia Bofill-Mas
- Section of Microbiology, Virology and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- The Water Institute of the University of Barcelona, Spain
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495
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Medema G, Been F, Heijnen L, Petterson S. Implementation of environmental surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 virus to support public health decisions: Opportunities and challenges. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2020; 17:49-71. [PMID: 33024908 PMCID: PMC7528975 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Analysing wastewater can be used to track infectious disease agents that are shed via stool and urine. Sewage surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested as a tool to determine the extent of COVID-19 in cities and serve as an early warning for (re-)emergence of SARS-CoV-2 circulation in communities. The focus of this review is on the strength of evidence, opportunities and challenges for the application of sewage surveillance to inform public health decision making. Considerations for undertaking sampling programs are reviewed including sampling sites, strategies, sample transport, storage and quantification methods; together with the approach and evidence base for quantifying prevalence of infection from measured wastewater concentration. Published SARS-CoV-2 sewage surveillance studies (11 peer reviewed and 10 preprints) were reviewed to demonstrate the current status of implementation to support public health decisions. Although being very promising, a number of areas were identified requiring additional research to further strengthen this approach and take full advantage of its potential. In particular, design of adequate sampling strategies, spatial and temporal resolution of sampling, sample storage, replicate sampling and analysis, controls for the molecular methods used for the quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. The use of appropriate prevalence data and methods to correlate or even translate SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater to prevalence of virus shedders in the population is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gertjan Medema
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, Nieuwegein, 3433 PE, the Netherlands
- Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, Delft, 2628 CN, the Netherlands
- Michigan State University, 1405 S Harrison Rd, East-Lansing, Michigan, 48823, USA
| | - Frederic Been
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, Nieuwegein, 3433 PE, the Netherlands
| | - Leo Heijnen
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, Nieuwegein, 3433 PE, the Netherlands
| | - Susan Petterson
- Water & Health Pty Ltd, North Sydney, 2060, Australia
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Gold Coast, Australia
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496
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Michael-Kordatou I, Karaolia P, Fatta-Kassinos D. Sewage analysis as a tool for the COVID-19 pandemic response and management: the urgent need for optimised protocols for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2020; 8:104306. [PMID: 32834990 PMCID: PMC7384408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2020.104306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of July 29th 2020, more than 16,6 million cases have been reported in more than 188 countries/territories, leading to more than 659000 deaths. One of the main challenges facing health authorities has been testing for the virus on a sufficiently comprehensive scale. The pandemic has been an impetus for the wastewater community as it has inspired scientists to look to wastewater to help fill in the gap of measuring the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 within a given community. Testing the wastewater may serve as an early warning system allowing timely interventions. Although viral shedding varies among individuals and over the course of their infection, the sewage system can blend these variations into an average that represents the wider studied community. The urgent need has led to a lack of coherent reporting of data regarding the analysis, as these huge and remarkable efforts by the wastewater scientific community were made in a very short time. Important information on the analytical approach is often lacking, while there is still no optimisation of the methodology, including sampling, sample storage and concentration, RNA extraction and detection/quantification. This review aims at identifying the main issues for consideration, relating to the development of validated methodological protocols for the virus quantitative analysis in wastewater. Their inclusion will enable the methodological optimisation of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater analyses, transforming the wastewater infrastructure into a source of useful information for the health sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Michael-Kordatou
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - P Karaolia
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - D Fatta-Kassinos
- Nireas-International Water Research Centre, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY-1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
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497
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Ahmed W, Bivins A, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Choi PM, Farkas K, Gyawali P, Hamilton KA, Haramoto E, Kitajima M, Simpson SL, Tandukar S, Thomas K, Mueller JF. Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater: Methods optimisation and quality control are crucial for generating reliable public health information. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2020. [PMID: 33052320 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020c.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater through the process of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides an additional surveillance tool, contributing to community-based screening and prevention efforts as these measurements have preceded disease cases in some instances. Numerous detections of SARS-CoV-2 RNA have been reported globally using various methods, demonstrating the technical feasibility of routine monitoring. However, in order to reliably interpret data produced from these efforts for informing public health interventions, additional quality control information and standardization in sampling design, sample processing, and data interpretation and reporting is needed. This review summarizes published studies of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater as well as available information regarding concentration, extraction, and detection methods. The review highlights areas for potential standardization including considerations related to sampling timing and frequency relative to peak fecal loading times; inclusion of appropriate information on sample volume collected; sample collection points; transport and storage conditions; sample concentration and processing; RNA extraction process and performance; effective volumes; PCR inhibition; process controls throughout sample collection and processing; PCR standard curve performance; and recovery efficiency testing. Researchers are recommended to follow the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR (MIQE) guidelines. Adhering to these recommendations will enable robust interpretation of wastewater monitoring results and improved inferences regarding the relationship between monitoring results and disease cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
- Environmental Change Initiative, 721 Flanner Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Phil M Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Temple, AZ, 85287
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400 -8511, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0032, Japan
| | | | - Sarmila Tandukar
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400 -8511, Japan
| | - Kevin Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
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498
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Ahmed W, Bivins A, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Choi PM, Farkas K, Gyawali P, Hamilton KA, Haramoto E, Kitajima M, Simpson SL, Tandukar S, Thomas K, Mueller JF. Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater: Methods optimisation and quality control are crucial for generating reliable public health information. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & HEALTH 2020; 17:S2468-5844(20)30060-X. [PMID: 33052320 PMCID: PMC7544017 DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater through the process of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides an additional surveillance tool, contributing to community-based screening and prevention efforts as these measurements have preceded disease cases in some instances. Numerous detections of SARS-CoV-2 RNA have been reported globally using various methods, demonstrating the technical feasibility of routine monitoring. However, in order to reliably interpret data produced from these efforts for informing public health interventions, additional quality control information and standardization in sampling design, sample processing, and data interpretation and reporting is needed. This review summarizes published studies of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater as well as available information regarding concentration, extraction, and detection methods. The review highlights areas for potential standardization including considerations related to sampling timing and frequency relative to peak fecal loading times; inclusion of appropriate information on sample volume collected; sample collection points; transport and storage conditions; sample concentration and processing; RNA extraction process and performance; effective volumes; PCR inhibition; process controls throughout sample collection and processing; PCR standard curve performance; and recovery efficiency testing. Researchers are recommended to follow the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR (MIQE) guidelines. Adhering to these recommendations will enable robust interpretation of wastewater monitoring results and improved inferences regarding the relationship between monitoring results and disease cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
- Environmental Change Initiative, 721 Flanner Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Phil M Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Temple, AZ, 85287
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400 -8511, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0032, Japan
| | | | - Sarmila Tandukar
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400 -8511, Japan
| | - Kevin Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
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499
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Nemudryi A, Nemudraia A, Wiegand T, Surya K, Buyukyoruk M, Cicha C, Vanderwood KK, Wilkinson R, Wiedenheft B. Temporal Detection and Phylogenetic Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in Municipal Wastewater. Cell Rep Med 2020; 1:100098. [PMID: 32904687 PMCID: PMC7457911 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has recently been detected in feces, which indicates that wastewater may be used to monitor viral prevalence in the community. Here, we use RT-qPCR to monitor wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 RNA over a 74-day time course. We show that changes in SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations follow symptom onset gathered by retrospective interview of patients but precedes clinical test results. In addition, we determine a nearly complete (98.5%) SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence from wastewater and use phylogenetic analysis to infer viral ancestry. Collectively, this work demonstrates how wastewater can be used as a proxy to monitor viral prevalence in the community and how genome sequencing can be used for genotyping viral strains circulating in a community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Nemudryi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Anna Nemudraia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Tanner Wiegand
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Kevin Surya
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Murat Buyukyoruk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Calvin Cicha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | | | - Royce Wilkinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Blake Wiedenheft
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
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500
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Nemudryi A, Nemudraia A, Wiegand T, Surya K, Buyukyoruk M, Cicha C, Vanderwood KK, Wilkinson R, Wiedenheft B. Temporal Detection and Phylogenetic Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in Municipal Wastewater. Cell Rep Med 2020. [PMID: 32904687 DOI: 10.1016/jxcrm.2020.100098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has recently been detected in feces, which indicates that wastewater may be used to monitor viral prevalence in the community. Here, we use RT-qPCR to monitor wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 RNA over a 74-day time course. We show that changes in SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations follow symptom onset gathered by retrospective interview of patients but precedes clinical test results. In addition, we determine a nearly complete (98.5%) SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence from wastewater and use phylogenetic analysis to infer viral ancestry. Collectively, this work demonstrates how wastewater can be used as a proxy to monitor viral prevalence in the community and how genome sequencing can be used for genotyping viral strains circulating in a community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem Nemudryi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Anna Nemudraia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Tanner Wiegand
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Kevin Surya
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Murat Buyukyoruk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Calvin Cicha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | | | - Royce Wilkinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Blake Wiedenheft
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
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