A Simple Method to Detect SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater at Low Virus Concentration

Background. Since its initial appearance in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread globally. Wastewater surveillance has been demonstrated as capable of identifying infection clusters early. The purpose o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental and public health 2022, Vol.2022 (1), p.4867626
Main Authors: Thongpradit, Supranee, Prasongtanakij, Somsak, Srisala, Supanart, Kumsang, Yothin, Chanprasertyothin, Suwannee, Boonkongchuen, Pairoj, Pitidhammabhorn, Dhanesh, Manomaipiboon, Parnrudee, Somchaiyanon, Peeraya, Chandanachulaka, Siriwan, Hirunrueng, Taiyatach, Ongphiphadhanakul, Boonsong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ambient temperature
Analysis
Canals
Cellulose
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
COVID-19 - diagnosis
COVID-19 - epidemiology
Disease transmission
Epidemics
Genes
Health aspects
Health surveillance
Humans
Infections
Laboratories
Membrane filters
Methods
Pandemics
Patients
Respiratory diseases
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
RNA, Viral
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Viral diseases
Viruses
Wastewater
Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring
Water treatment
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Summary:Background. Since its initial appearance in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread globally. Wastewater surveillance has been demonstrated as capable of identifying infection clusters early. The purpose of this study was to investigate a quick and simple method to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Thailand during the early stages of the second outbreak wave when the prevalence of the disease and the virus concentration in wastewater were low. Methods. Wastewater samples were collected from a hospital caring for patients with COVID-19 and from 35 markets, two of which were associated with recently reported COVID-19 cases. Then, samples were concentrated by membrane filtering prior to SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-qPCR. Results. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the wastewater samples from the hospital; the Ct values for the N, ORF1ab, and S genes progressively increased as the number of patients admitted to the treatment floor decreased. Notably, the ORF1ab and S genes were still detectable in wastewater even when only one patient with COVID-19 remained at the hospital. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the wastewater samples from fresh market where COVID-19 cases were reported. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 is sensitive and can detect the virus even in places with a high ambient temperature and relatively low prevalence of COVID-19.
ISSN:1687-9805
1687-9813
1687-9813
DOI:10.1155/2022/4867626