Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 spread using wastewater-based epidemiology: Comprehensive study

Hemalatha, M.; Kiran, Uday; Kuncha, Santosh Kumar; Kopperi, Harishankar; Gokulan, C G; Mohan, S. Venkata; Mishra, Rakesh

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144704

Cited by 71 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The grab samples were collected in a clean plastic bottle (disposable; 1.2 litres) containing 20 mL of sodium hypochlorite (0.1%) to inactivate the pathogens ( Hemalatha et al, 2021a , Hemalatha et al, 2021b ). For sample collection, the sample container was placed slightly lowered in the opposite direction of flow with partial immersion.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The persistence and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and shedding through faeces is being established as a transmission route to the environment settings, which eventually discharges to the wastewater/sewage system ( Wang et al, 2020a , Wang et al, 2020b , Woelfel et al, 2020 , Xiao et al, 2020 , Young et al, 2020 , Zahedi et al, 2021 , Venkata Mohan et al, 2021 ). Detection of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the sewage/wastewater documented a significant interest among the research fraternity in the framework of wastewater based epidemiological (WBE) studies ( Venkata Mohan et al, 2021 , Kumar et al, 2020 , Hemalatha et al, 2021a , Hemalatha et al, 2021b ). Previously, the wastewater functioned as a surveillance system for poliovirus and Aichi virus ( Asghar et al, 2014 , Lodder et al, 2012b ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previously, the wastewater functioned as a surveillance system for poliovirus and Aichi virus ( Asghar et al, 2014 , Lodder et al, 2012b ). WBE studies also functioned as an important supplement to clinical surveillance in polio eradication and have the potential to inform the epidemiology of COVID-19 ( Shaw et al, 2020 , Xagoraraki and O’Brien, 2020 , Hemalatha et al, 2021a , Tharak et al, 2021 ). Unlike polio, the COVID-19 vaccine reached the mankind relatively in very short span of time but with some challenges such as their efficacy among different people and time it takes to reach entire population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wastewater surveillance is an unbiased tool that helps to establish an early-warning system that would be able to monitor the occurrence, spread and, severity of the infection at a community level and therefore help in early preventative measures and allocation of resources to potentially affected areas ( Torrey et al, 2019 , Brainard et al, 2017 , Bibby et al, 2015b , Casanova and Weaver, 2015 , Bibby and Peccia, 2013a ), which eventually minimize the outbreak and spread ( Venkata Mohan et al, 2021 , Lednicky et al, 2020 , Daughton, 2018 ). Recent reports employed WBE-based approaches to detect SARS-CoV-2 in domestic/sewage wastewater ( Ahmed et al, 2020a , Hemalatha et al, 2021a , La Rosa et al, 2020a , Medema et al, 2020 , Usman et al, 2020 , Wu et al, 2020a ). Despite the evidence on the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater/sewage, the virus transmission to the community from wastewater infrastructure is yet to be established.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The wastewater/sewage complexity, the dilute nature of biomarker in wastewater and, the inability to pinpoint specific locations are some of limitations in establishing quantitative predictions of viral RNA load in WBE ( Ahmed et al, 2020b , Hart and Halden, 2020 , Tharak et al, 2021 ). The accuracy of the assessment of viral load among the community is an important pre-requisite of any WBE Studies ( Hemalatha et al, 2021a , Nakamura et al, 2015 ). Interpretation with a limited number of positive wastewater sample is challenging ( Asghar et al, 2014 , O’Reilly et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

Kopperi

Tharak

Hemalatha

et al. 2021

Environmental Technology & Innovation

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Since COVID-19 outbreak, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) studies as surveillance system is becoming an emerging interest due to its functional advantage as a tool for early warning signal and to catalyze effective disease management strategies based on the community diagnosis. An attempt was made in this study to define and establish a methodological approach for conducting WBE studies in the framework of identifying/selection of surveillance sites, standardizing sampling policy, designing sampling protocols to improve sensitivity, adopting safety protocol, and interpreting the data. Data from hourly sampling indicated a peak in the viral RNA during the morning hours (6–9 am) when the all the domestic activities are maximum. The daily sampling and processing revealed the dynamic nature of infection spread among the population. The two sampling methods viz. grab, and composite showed a good correlation. Overall, this study establishes a structured protocol for performing WBE studies that could provide useful insights on the spread of the pandemic at a given point of time. Moreover, this framework could be extrapolated to monitor several other clinically relevant diseases. Following these guidelines, it is possible to achieve measurable and reliable SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in wastewater infrastructure and therefore, provides a methodological basis for the establishment of a national surveillance system.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

Kopperi

Tharak

Hemalatha

et al. 2021

Environmental Technology & Innovation

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Review and Meta‐Analysis: SARS‐CoV‐2 and Enveloped Virus Detection in Feces and Wastewater

Twigg

Wenk

2022

ChemBioEng Reviews

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Detection and quantification of viruses supplies key information on their spread and allows risk assessment for public health. In wastewater, existing detection methods have been focusing on non‐enveloped enteric viruses due to enveloped virus transmission, such as coronaviruses, by the fecal‐oral route being less likely. Since the beginning of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic, interest and importance of enveloped virus detection in wastewater has increased. Here, quantitative studies on SARS‐CoV‐2 occurrence in feces and raw wastewater and other enveloped viruses via quantitative real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) during the early stage of the pandemic until April 2021 are reviewed, including statistical evaluation of the positive detection rate and efficiency throughout the detection process involving concentration, extraction, and amplification stages. Optimized and aligned sampling protocols and concentration methods for enveloped viruses, along with SARS‐CoV‐2 surrogates, in wastewater environments may improve low and variable recovery rates providing increased detection efficiency and comparable data on viral load measured across different studies.

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Wastewater surveillance could serve as a pandemic early warning system for COVID‐19 and beyond

Gahlot

Alley

Arora³

et al. 2023

WIREs Water

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Wastewater-based surveillance can be used as an early warning system to identify COVID-19 outbreaks because the viral load can be observed in sewage before it is clinically verified. Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 can trace the transmission dynamics of infection in communities when using the scale of a wastewater diversion and treatment system. Using this early detection method can help protect human health and mitigate socio-economic losses. It can help quantify the epidemiological data of a given population in real-time and circumvent the need for other epidemiological indicators. There are challenges in using this technique in areas with underdeveloped sewerage infrastructure. It is especially the case in developing nations where uniform protocols for viral detection are lacking, and wastewater is heterogeneous because of environmental and operational conditions. This article explains the need for and importance of wastewater-based surveillance for SARS-CoV-2. It lays out the most recent methodological approaches for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater and outlines the main challenges associated with wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). The article includes a case study of surveillance work across India to demonstrate how a developing nation manages research and locational challenges. The socio-economic, ethical, and policy dimensions of WBE for SARS-CoV-2 are also discussed.

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Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 spread using wastewater-based epidemiology: Comprehensive study

Cited by 71 publications

References 39 publications

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

Review and Meta‐Analysis: SARS‐CoV‐2 and Enveloped Virus Detection in Feces and Wastewater

Wastewater surveillance could serve as a pandemic early warning system for COVID‐19 and beyond

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Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 spread using wastewater-based epidemiology: Comprehensive study

Cited by 71 publications

References 39 publications

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance​ of SARS-CoV-2

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance​ of SARS-CoV-2

Review and Meta‐Analysis: SARS‐CoV‐2 and Enveloped Virus Detection in Feces and Wastewater

Wastewater surveillance could serve as a pandemic early warning system for COVID‐19 and beyond

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Product

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Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

Defining the methodological approach for wastewater-based epidemiological studies—Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2