scholarly journals Sewage surveillance for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genome as a useful wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) tracking tool in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 82 (12) ◽  
pp. 2823-2836
Author(s):  
Sudipti Arora ◽  
Aditi Nag ◽  
Jasmine Sethi ◽  
Jayana Rajvanshi ◽  
Sonika Saxena ◽  
...  

Abstract The infection with SARS-CoV-2 is reported to be accompanied by the shedding of the virus in fecal samples of infected patients. Earlier reports have suggested that COVID-19 agents can be present in the sewage samples and thus it can be a good indication of the pandemic extent in a community. However, no such studies have been reported in the Indian context. Hence, it becomes absolutely necessary to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving different localities of Jaipur city. Samples from different WWTPs and hospital wastewater samples were collected and wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) studies were carried out using the RT-PCR to confirm the presence of different COVID-19 target genes namely S gene, E gene, ORF1ab gene, RdRp gene and N gene. The results revealed that the untreated wastewater samples showed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral genome, which was correlated with the increased number of COVID-19 positive patients from the concerned areas, as reported in the publically available health data. This is the first study that investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral genome in wastewater, at higher ambient temperature (45 °C), further validating WBE as potential tool in predicting and mitigating outbreaks.


Author(s):  
Sudipti Arora ◽  
Aditi Nag ◽  
Jasmine Sethi ◽  
Jayana Rajvanshi ◽  
Sonika Saxena ◽  
...  

AbstractThe infection with SARS-CoV-2 is reported to be accompanied by the shedding of the virus in stool samples of infected patients. Earlier reports have suggested that COVID-19 agents can be present in the fecal and sewage samples and thus it can be a good indication of the pandemic extent in a community. However, no such studies have been reported in the Indian context so far. Since, several factors like local population physiology, the climatic conditions, sewage composition, and processing of samples could possibly affect the detection of the viral genome, it becomes absolutely necessary to check for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) serving different localities of Jaipur city, which has been under red zone (pandemic hotspots) since early April 2020. Samples from different local municipal WWTPs and hospital wastewater samples were collected and wastewater based epidemiology (WBE) studies for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 were carried out using the RT-PCR technique to confirm the presence of different COVID-19 target genes namely S gene, E gene, ORF1ab gene, RdRp gene and N gene in the viral load of wastewater samples. In the present study, the untreated wastewater samples from the municipal WWTPs and hospital wastewater samples showed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral genome, which was correlated with the increased number of COVID-19 positive patients from the concerned areas, as per reported in the publically available health data. This is the first study that investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral genome in wastewater, at higher ambient temperature (above 40°C), further validating WBE as a potential tool in predicting and mitigating outbreaks.HighlightsThe study reports detection of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage in India.The presence of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed by RT-PCR.The presence of viral genome was detected at high ambient temperatures of 40-45° C.Corroborates trends in the WWTPs showing viral genome with public health data.Treated effluent from WWTPs appears safe for reuse with low public health concern.Graphical Abstract



Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 798
Author(s):  
Samendra P. Sherchan ◽  
Shalina Shahin ◽  
Jeenal Patel ◽  
Lauren M. Ward ◽  
Sarmila Tandukar ◽  
...  

In this study, we investigated the occurrence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in primary influent (n = 42), secondary effluent (n = 24) and tertiary treated effluent (n = 34) collected from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs A–F) in Virginia (WWTP A), Florida (WWTPs B, C, and D), and Georgia (WWTPs E and F) in the United States during April–July 2020. Of the 100 wastewater samples analyzed, eight (19%) untreated wastewater samples collected from the primary influents contained SARS-CoV-2 RNA as measured by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays. SARS-CoV-2 RNA were detected in influent wastewater samples collected from WWTP A (Virginia), WWTPs E and F (Georgia) and WWTP D (Florida). Secondary and tertiary effluent samples were not positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA indicating the treatment processes in these WWTPs potentially removed SARS-CoV-2 RNA during the secondary and tertiary treatment processes. However, further studies are needed to understand the log removal values (LRVs) and transmission risks of SARS-CoV-2 RNA through analyzing wastewater samples from a wider range of WWTPs.



Author(s):  
Mohammad Rubayet Hasan ◽  
Sathyavathi Sundararaju ◽  
Chidambaram Manickam ◽  
Faheem Mirza ◽  
Hamad Al-Hail ◽  
...  

Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, laboratory testing to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) has played a central role in mitigating the spread of the virus (1). Soon after the viral genome sequences were available, several RT-qPCR assays were developed and made available by World Health Organization (WHO) for public use (https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/whoinhouseassays.pdf). The primer and probe sequences for these assays were chosen from multiple target genes within the viral genome such as the E gene, RdRp gene, ORF1ab and N gene. Many commercial and laboratory-developed assays were developed for SARS-CoV-2 detection based on these primer and probe sequences. The large-scale sustained person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has led to many mutational events, some of which may affect the sensitivity and specificity of available PCR assays (2). Recently, mutations in the E gene (C26340T) and N gene (C29200T) were reported affecting the detection of target genes by two commercial assays in 8 and 1 patients, respectively. Interestingly, both mutations are of C>T type, a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that may be associated with strong host cell mRNA editing mechanisms known as APOBEC cytidine deaminase (3, 4). Another study found a G to U substitution in position 29140 that affected the sensitivity of detection of N gene-based assays (5). Here we report a novel N gene mutation (C29200A) seen in 3 patients, which affected the detection of SARS-CoV-2 N gene by a commercial assay.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lara-Jacobo ◽  
Golam Islam ◽  
Jean-Paul Desaulniers ◽  
Andrea Kirkwood ◽  
Denina Simmons

Abstract On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. COVID-19 is produced by a novel β-coronavirus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. Several studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urine, feces, and other biofluids from both symptomatic and asymptomatic people with COVID-19 [2], suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be detected in human wastewater [3]. Thus, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is now used as an approach to monitor COVID-19 prevalence in many different places around the world [4-10] . Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the most common SARS-CoV-2 detection method in WBE, but there are other methods for viral biomolecule detection that could work as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in untreated wastewater (WW) influents collected from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), from Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, using a LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approach. We identified many SARS-CoV-2 proteins in these wastewater samples, with peptides from pp1ab being the most consistently detected and with consistent abundance.



2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (15) ◽  
pp. 793-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengting Yu ◽  
Liting Yan ◽  
Nan Wang ◽  
Siyuan Yang ◽  
Linghang Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a public health emergency. The widely used reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method has limitations for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods A total of 323 samples from 76 COVID-19–confirmed patients were analyzed by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and RT-PCR based 2 target genes (ORF1ab and N). Nasal swabs, throat swabs, sputum, blood, and urine were collected. Clinical and imaging data were obtained for clinical staging. Results In 95 samples that tested positive by both methods, the cycle threshold (Ct) of RT-PCR was highly correlated with the copy number of ddPCR (ORF1ab gene, R2 = 0.83; N gene, R2 = 0.87). Four (4/161) negative and 41 (41/67) single-gene positive samples tested by RT-PCR were positive according to ddPCR with viral loads ranging from 11.1 to 123.2 copies/test. The viral load of respiratory samples was then compared and the average viral load in sputum (17 429 ± 6920 copies/test) was found to be significantly higher than in throat swabs (2552 ± 1965 copies/test, P < .001) and nasal swabs (651 ± 501 copies/test, P < .001). Furthermore, the viral loads in the early and progressive stages were significantly higher than that in the recovery stage (46 800 ± 17 272 vs 1252 ± 1027, P < .001) analyzed by sputum samples. Conclusions Quantitative monitoring of viral load in lower respiratory tract samples helps to evaluate disease progression, especially in cases of low viral load.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lara-Jacobo ◽  
Golam Islam ◽  
Jean-Paul Desaulniers ◽  
Andrea Kirkwood ◽  
Denina Simmons

Abstract On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. COVID-19 is produced by a novel β-coronavirus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. Several studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urine, feces, and other biofluids from both symptomatic and asymptomatic people with COVID-19 [2], suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be detected in human wastewater [3]. Thus, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is now used as an approach to monitor COVID-19 prevalence in many different places around the world [4-10] . Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the most common SARS-CoV-2 detection method in WBE, but there are other methods for viral biomolecule detection that could work as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in untreated wastewater (WW) influents collected from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), from Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, using a LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approach. We identified many SARS-CoV-2 proteins in these wastewater samples, with peptides from pp1ab being the most consistently detected and with consistent abundance.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridgette Hughes ◽  
Bradley J. White ◽  
Marlene K. Wolfe ◽  
Krista Wigginton ◽  
Alexandria B Boehm

This process instruction describes the steps for quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 with a triplex Reverse Transcriptase droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-ddPCR) assay targeting the N Gene, S Gene and 3 mutation assays (one for HV69-70, one for E484K/N501Y, and one for del156-157/R158G) in extracted and purified RNA samples from solid wastewater samples for population level SARS-CoV-2 community surveillance. RT-ddPCR is a modified version of conventional RT-PCR workflows which involves separating the reaction mixture into many partitions (~20,000) before thermal cycling which allows for direct absolute quantification of the target RNA molecules. Future protocols will be published that are complementary to this one and describe assays targeting additional SARS-CoV-2 mutations. This protocol uses RNA extracted using this protocol: High Throughput RNA Extraction and PCR Inhibitor Removal of Settled Solids for Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. That RNA is generated from samples subjected to pre-analytical steps outlined in: High Throughput pre-analytical processing of wastewater settled solids for SARS-CoV-2 RNA analyses. It is recommended that these assays be run along assays for PMMoV and BCoV as controls as described in the companion protocol High Throughput SARS-COV-2, PMMOV, and BCoV quantification in settled solids using digital RT-PCR The readout of this assay is a concentration of each target in the extracted RNA samples (copies/µL). Scope This process instruction applies to quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 RNA from solid wastewater samples with ddPCR using a Bio-Rad AutoDG Droplet Digital PCR system consisting of the AutoDG Automated Droplet Generator and the QX200 droplet reader.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridgette Hughes ◽  
Bradley J. White ◽  
Marlene K. Wolfe ◽  
Krista Wigginton ◽  
Alexandria B Boehm

This process instruction describes the steps for quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 with a triplex Reverse Transcriptase droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-ddPCR) assay targeting the N Gene, S Gene and 3 mutation assays (one each for HV69-70, E484K/N501Y, del156-157/R158G, and Del143-145) in extracted and purified RNA samples from solid wastewater samples for population level SARS-CoV-2 community surveillance. RT-ddPCR is a modified version of conventional RT-PCR workflows which involves separating the reaction mixture into many partitions (~20,000) before thermal cycling which allows for direct absolute quantification of the target RNA molecules. Future protocols will be published that are complementary to this one and describe assays targeting additional SARS-CoV-2 mutations. This protocol uses RNA extracted using this protocol: High Throughput RNA Extraction and PCR Inhibitor Removal of Settled Solids for Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. That RNA is generated from samples subjected to pre-analytical steps outlined in: High Throughput pre-analytical processing of wastewater settled solids for SARS-CoV-2 RNA analyses. It is recommended that these assays be run along assays for PMMoV and BCoV as controls as described in the companion protocol High Throughput SARS-COV-2, PMMOV, and BCoV quantification in settled solids using digital RT-PCR The readout of this assay is a concentration of each target in the extracted RNA samples (copies/µL). Scope This process instruction applies to quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 RNA from solid wastewater samples with ddPCR using a Bio-Rad AutoDG Droplet Digital PCR system consisting of the AutoDG Automated Droplet Generator and the QX200 droplet reader.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lara-Jacobo ◽  
Golam Islam ◽  
Jean-Paul Desaulniers ◽  
Andrea Kirkwood ◽  
Denina Simmons

Abstract On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. COVID-19 is produced by a novel β-coronavirus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. Several studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urine, feces, and other biofluids from both symptomatic and asymptomatic people with COVID-19 [2], suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 RNA could be detected in human wastewater [3]. Thus, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is now used as an approach to monitor COVID-19 prevalence in many different places around the world [4-10]. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the most common SARS-CoV-2 detection method in WBE, but there are other methods for viral biomolecule detection that could work as well. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in untreated wastewater (WW) influents collected from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), from Durham Region, Ontario, Canada, using a LC-MS/MS-based proteomics approach. We identified many SARS-CoV-2 proteins in these wastewater samples, with peptides from pp1ab being the most consistently detected and with consistent abundance.



2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Topol (Verily Life Sciences) ◽  
marlene.wolfe not provided ◽  
Brad White (Verily Life Sciences) ◽  
Krista Wigginton ◽  
Alexandria B Boehm

This process instruction describes the steps for quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 with a triplex Reverse Transcriptase droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-ddPCR) assay targeting the N Gene, S Gene and ORF1a and a duplex assay targeting Bovine Coronavirus Vaccine (BCoV) and Pepper Mild mottle virus (PMMoV) in extracted and purified RNA samples from solid wastewater samples for population level SARS-CoV-2 community surveillance. RT-ddPCR is a modified version of conventional RT-PCR workflows which involves separating the reaction mixture into many partitions (~20,000) before thermal cycling which allows for direct absolute quantification of the target RNA molecules. This protocol uses RNA extracted using this protocol: High Throughput RNA Extraction and PCR Inhibitor Removal of Settled Solids for Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. That RNA is generated from samples subjected to pre-analytical steps outlined in: High Throughput pre-analytical processing of wastewater settled solids for SARS-CoV-2 RNA analyses. This protocol describes 2 separate PCR reactions, one containing primer/probe mixtures targeting the three SARS-CoV-2 targets and one containing primer/probe mixtures targeting BCoV and PMMoV. BCoV is spiked into samples before nucleic acid extraction and serves as a process control as well as an indicator of PCR inhibition. PMMoV is an enveloped virus which is abundant in human fecal waste and serves as an endogenous control for data normalization. PMMoV RNA is abundant at such high levels in wastewater samples that the samples must be diluted by a factor of 100 before quantification. The readout of this assay is a concentration of each target in the extracted RNA samples (copies/uL). Scope This process instruction applies to quantitative analysis of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 RNA from solid wastewater samples with ddPCR using a Bio-Rad AutoDG Droplet Digital PCR system consisting of the AutoDG Automated Droplet Generator and the QX200 droplet reader.



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