Municipal Sewage COVID-19 Testing: A Much Needed Public Health Community Prevention Intervention

Investigating SARS-CoV-2 RNA in five municipal wastewater treatment plants, hospital wastewater and wastewater collection networks during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ardabil Province, Iran

Since 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus with acute respiratory symptoms has caused an epidemic worldwide. Transmission of the disease through respiratory droplets was announced as the main mode of transmission in 2020. But in this study, we discussed the method of indirect transmission of the virus through sewage. In this study, effluents related to urban and hospital wastewater treatment plants in 5 regions of Ardabil Province (northwest of Iran) were investigated. In this research, 120 samples were kept in pre-test conditions (temperature -20 degrees Celsius). To identify the viral genome, special primer and chain reaction probe targeting ORF1ab and N (nucleoprotein gene) genes were used. Out of a total of 120 samples, a total of 3 samples were positive. Wastewater epidemiology (WBE) can be considered as a cost-effective method in the diagnosis and prediction of pathogenic agents. And be considered an effective method for decision-making in order to protect the health of citizens.

Archiving time series sewage samples as biological records of built environments

This commentary encourages the regular archiving of nucleic-acid-stabilized serial samples of wastewaters and/or sewage. Stabilized samples would facilitate retrospective reconstitution of built environments’ biological fluids. Biological time capsules would allow retrospective searches for nucleic acids from viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. Current resources for testing need not be diverted if samples are saved in case they become important in the future. Systematic storage would facilitate investigation into the origin and prevalence of viruses and other agents. Comparison of prevalence data from individual and clinical samplings with community wastewater would allow valuable comparison, contrast and correlation among different testing modalities. Current interest is focused on SARS-CoV-2, but archived samples could become valuable in many contexts including surveys for other infectious and chemical agents whose identity is not currently known. Archived time series of wastewater will take their place alongside other biological repositories and records including those from medical facilities, museums, eDNA, living cell and tissue collections. Together these will prove invaluable records of the evolving Anthropocene.