Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in dormitories as a part of comprehensive university campus COVID-19 monitoring

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an effective tool for monitoring infectious disease spread or illicit drug use within communities. At the Ohio State University, we conducted a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program in the 2020–2021 academic year and compared results with the university-required...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental research 2022-09, Vol.212 (Pt E), p.113580-113580, Article 113580
Main Authors: Lu, Emily, Ai, Yuehan, Davis, Angela, Straathof, Judith, Halloran, Kent, Hull, Natalie, Winston, Ryan, Weir, Mark H., Soller, Jeffrey, Bohrerova, Zuzana, Oglesbee, Michael, Lee, Jiyoung
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID-19 infection
crAssphage
droplets
experimental design
Fecal mass correction
genes
Humans
illicit drugs
monitoring
nucleocapsid
Ohio
PMMoV
reverse transcription
RNA, Viral - genetics
saliva
SARS-CoV-2 - genetics
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
spring
Total suspended solids
turbidity
Universities
Viral shedding
Wastewater
Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring
Wastewater-based surveillance
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Summary:Wastewater-based epidemiology is an effective tool for monitoring infectious disease spread or illicit drug use within communities. At the Ohio State University, we conducted a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program in the 2020–2021 academic year and compared results with the university-required weekly COVID-19 saliva testing to monitor COVID-19 infection prevalence in the on-campus residential communities. The objectives of the study were to rapidly track trends in the wastewater SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations, analyze the relationship between case numbers and wastewater signals when adjusted using human fecal viral indicator concentrations (PMMoV, crAssphage) in wastewater, and investigate the relationship of the SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations with wastewater parameters. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and envelope (N1, N2, and E) gene concentrations, determined with reverse transcription droplet digital PCR, were used to track SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in dormitory wastewater once a week at 6 sampling sites across the campus during the fall semester in 2020. During the following spring semester, research was focused on SARS-CoV2 N2 gene concentrations at 5 sites sampled twice a week. Spearman correlations both with and without adjusting using human fecal viral indicators showed a significant correlation (p 
ISSN:0013-9351
1096-0953
1096-0953
DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113580