1
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Tang MHE, Bennedbaek M, Gunalan V, Qvesel AG, Thorsen TH, Larsen NB, Rasmussen LD, Krogsgaard LW, Rasmussen M, Stegger M, Alexandersen S. Variations in the persistence of 5'-end genomic and subgenomic SARS-CoV-2 RNAs in wastewater from aircraft, airports and wastewater treatment plants. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29703. [PMID: 38694057 PMCID: PMC11061675 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater sequencing has become a powerful supplement to clinical testing in monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. While its applications in measuring the viral burden and main circulating lineages in the community have proved their efficacy, the variations in sequencing quality and coverage across the different regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome are not well understood. Furthermore, it is unclear how different sample origins, viral extraction and concentration methods and environmental factors impact the reads sequenced from wastewater. Using high-coverage, amplicon-based, paired-end read sequencing of viral RNA extracted from wastewater collected directly from aircraft, pooled from different aircraft and airport buildings or from regular wastewater plants, we assessed the genome coverage across the sample groups with a focus on the 5'-end region covering the leader sequence and investigated whether it was possible to detect subgenomic RNA from viral material recovered from wastewater. We identified distinct patterns in the persistence of the different genomic regions across the different types of wastewaters and the existence of chimeric reads mapping to non-amplified regions. Our findings suggest that preservation of the 5'-end of the genome and the ability to detect subgenomic RNA reads, though highly susceptible to environment and sample processing conditions, may be indicative of the quality and amount of the viral RNA present in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man-Hung Eric Tang
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marc Bennedbaek
- Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vithiagaran Gunalan
- Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amanda Gammelby Qvesel
- Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Theis Hass Thorsen
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Lasse Dam Rasmussen
- Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lene Wulff Krogsgaard
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Rasmussen
- Department of Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marc Stegger
- Department of Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Antimicrobial Resistance and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Soren Alexandersen
- Division of Diagnostic Preparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
- Deakin University, School of Medicine, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, Australia
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2
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Jobling K, Quintela-Baluja M, Hassard F, Adamou P, Blackburn A, Research Team T, McIntyre-Nolan S, O'Mara O, Romalde JL, Di Cesare M, Graham DW. Comparison of gene targets and sampling regimes for SARS-CoV-2 quantification for wastewater epidemiology in UK prisons. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2024; 22:64-76. [PMID: 38295073 PMCID: wh_2023_093 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Prisons are high-risk settings for infectious disease transmission, due to their enclosed and semi-enclosed environments. The proximity between prisoners and staff, and the diversity of prisons reduces the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as social distancing. Therefore, alternative health monitoring methods, such as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), are needed to track pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2. This pilot study assessed WBE to quantify SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in prison wastewater to determine its utility within a health protection system for residents. The study analysed 266 samples from six prisons in England over a 12-week period for nucleoprotein 1 (N1 gene) and envelope protein (E gene) using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Both gene assays successfully detected SARS-CoV-2 fragments in wastewater samples, with both genes significantly correlating with COVID-19 case numbers across the prisons (p < 0.01). However, in 25% of the SARS-positive samples, only one gene target was detected, suggesting that both genes be used to reduce false-negative results. No significant differences were observed between 14- and 2-h composite samples, although 2-h samples showed greater signal variance. Population normalisation did not improve correlations between the N1 and E genes and COVID-19 case data. Overall, WBE shows considerable promise for health protection in prison settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Jobling
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK; The authors contributed equally to the manuscript. E-mail:
| | - Marcos Quintela-Baluja
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK; The authors contributed equally to the manuscript
| | - Francis Hassard
- Cranfield Water Science Institute, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Panagiota Adamou
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Adrian Blackburn
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | | | | | | | - Jesus L Romalde
- CRETUS, Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | - David W Graham
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
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3
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Raza S, Wdowiak M, Paczesny J. An Overview of Diverse Strategies To Inactivate Enterobacteriaceae-Targeting Bacteriophages. EcoSal Plus 2023; 11:eesp00192022. [PMID: 36651738 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0019-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and thus threaten industrial processes relying on the production executed by bacterial cells. Industries bear huge economic losses due to such recurring and resilient infections. Depending on the specificity of the process, there is a need for appropriate methods of bacteriophage inactivation, with an emphasis on being inexpensive and high efficiency. In this review, we summarize the reports on antiphagents, i.e., antibacteriophage agents on inactivation of bacteriophages. We focused on bacteriophages targeting the representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae family, as its representative, Escherichia coli, is most commonly used in the bio-industry. The review is divided into sections dealing with bacteriophage inactivation by physical factors, chemical factors, and nanotechnology-based solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sada Raza
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mateusz Wdowiak
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jan Paczesny
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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4
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Oishi W, Sano D. Estimation of alkali dosage and contact time for treating human excreta containing viruses as an emergency response: a systematic review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1286595. [PMID: 38026419 PMCID: PMC10667465 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1286595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Water, sanitation, and hygiene provisions are essential during emergencies to prevent infectious disease outbreaks caused by improper human excreta management in settlements for people affected by natural disasters and conflicts. Human excreta disinfection is required when long-term containment in latrines is not feasible on-site. Alkali additives, including lime, are effective disinfectants for wastewater and faecal sludge containing large amounts of solid and dissolved organic matter. The aim of this study was to determine the minimum dose and contact time of alkali additives for treating virus-containing human excreta in emergency situations. We used literature data collected by searching Google Scholar and Web of Science. The date of the last search for each study was 31th May 2023. Only peer-reviewed articles that included disinfection practices in combination with quantitative data for the physicochemical data of a matrix and viral decay were selected for data extraction. Two reviewers independently collected data from each study. We extracted datasets from 14 studies that reported quantitative information about their disinfection tests, including viral decay over time, matrix types, and physicochemical properties. Three machine learning algorithms were applied to the collected dataset to determine the time required to achieve specified levels of virus inactivation under different environmental conditions. The best model was used to estimate the contact time to achieve a 3-log10 inactivation of RNA virus in wastewater and faeces. The most important variables for predicting the contact time were pH, temperature, and virus type. The estimated contact time for 3 log inactivation of RNA virus was <2 h at pH 12, which was achieved by adding 1.8 and 3.1% slaked lime to wastewater and faeces, respectively. The contact time decreased exponentially with the pH of the sludge and wastewater. In contrast, the pH of the sludge and wastewater increased linearly with the slaked lime dosage. Lime treatment is a promising measure where long-term containment in latrine is not feasible in densely populated areas, as 1 day is sufficient to inactivate viruses. The relationship we have identified between required contact time and lime dosage is useful for practitioners in determining appropriate treatment conditions of human waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wakana Oishi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sano
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
- Department of Frontier Science for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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5
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Sherchan SP, Thakali O, Ikner LA, Gerba C, Haramoto E. Survivability of Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 246:120644. [PMID: 37844338 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Concerns of fecal-aerosol transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) coupled with increased transmissibility and disease severity of Delta and Omicron variants of concern (VOC) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), suggest studies on survival of VOC in wastewater are warranted. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the survivability of Delta and Omicron VOC in filtered and unfiltered raw wastewater, and secondary effluent at room temperature (23 °C). The time required for 90 % inactivation (T90) of Delta and Omicron VOC in unfiltered raw wastewater was calculated as 17.7 and 15.3 h, respectively. Rapid inactivation of VOC in wastewater and inability to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater suggest risks from fecal-aerosol transmission are low. Nevertheless, high transmissibility of VOC cautions overruling fecal-aerosol transmission of COVID-19. Future studies on survival of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater should attempt viral culture by spiking feces collected from COVID-19 infected patients into wastewater to match the real-world scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samendra P Sherchan
- Organization for Public Health and Environment Management, Lalitpur, Bagmati, Nepal; Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; WEST Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan; Department of Environmental Health, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States; Center of Research Excellence in Wastewater-based Epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD 21251, United States.
| | - Ocean Thakali
- Organization for Public Health and Environment Management, Lalitpur, Bagmati, Nepal
| | - Luisa A Ikner
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; WEST Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Charles Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States; WEST Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
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6
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Atoui A, Cordevant C, Chesnot T, Gassilloud B. SARS-CoV-2 in the environment: Contamination routes, detection methods, persistence and removal in wastewater treatment plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163453. [PMID: 37059142 PMCID: PMC10091716 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The present study reviewed the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the evaluation of virus infectivity in feces and environmental matrices. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in feces and wastewater samples, reported in several studies, has generated interest and concern regarding the possible fecal-oral route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. To date, the presence of viable SARS-CoV-2 in feces of COVID-19 infected people is not clearly confirmed although its isolation from feces of six different patients. Further, there is no documented evidence on the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, sludge and environmental water samples, although the viral genome has been detected in these matrices. Decay data revealed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA persisted longer than infectious particle in all aquatic environment, indicating that genome quantification of SARS-CoV-2 does not imply the presence of infective viral particles. In addition, this review also outlined the fate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA during the different steps in the wastewater treatment plant and focusing on the virus elimination along the sludge treatment line. Studies showed complete removal of SARS-CoV-2 during the tertiary treatment. Moreover, thermophilic sludge treatments present high efficiency in SARS-CoV-2 inactivation. Further studies are required to provide more evidence with respect to the inactivation behavior of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in different environmental matrices and to examine factors affecting SARS-CoV-2 persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Atoui
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Hydrology, Water Microbiology Unit, 40, rue Lionnois, 54 000 Nancy, France.
| | - Christophe Cordevant
- ANSES, Strategy and Programs Department, Research and Reference Division, Maisons-Alfort F-94 700, France
| | - Thierry Chesnot
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Hydrology, Water Microbiology Unit, 40, rue Lionnois, 54 000 Nancy, France
| | - Benoît Gassilloud
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Hydrology, Water Microbiology Unit, 40, rue Lionnois, 54 000 Nancy, France
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7
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Oloye FF, Xie Y, Challis JK, Femi-Oloye OP, Brinkmann M, McPhedran KN, Jones PD, Servos MR, Giesy JP. Understanding common population markers for SARS-CoV-2 RNA normalization in wastewater - A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 333:138682. [PMID: 37201600 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater monitoring and epidemiology have seen renewed interest during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there is an increasing need to normalize wastewater-derived viral loads in local populations. Chemical tracers, both exogenous and endogenous compounds, have proven to be more stable and reliable for normalization than biological indicators. However, differing instrumentation and extraction methods can make it difficult to compare results. This review examines current extraction and quantification methods for ten common population indicators: creatinine, coprostanol, nicotine, cotinine, sucralose, acesulfame, androstenedione 5-hydroindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), caffeine, and 1,7-dimethyluric acid. Some wastewater parameters such as ammonia, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and daily flowrate were also evaluated. The analytical methods included direct injection, dilute and shoot, liquid/liquid, and solid phase extraction (SPE). Creatine, acesulfame, nicotine, 5-HIAA and androstenedione have been analysed by direct injection into LC-MS; however, most authors prefer to include SPE steps to avoid matrix effects. Both LC-MS and GC-MS have been successfully used to quantify coprostanol in wastewater, and the other selected indicators have been quantified successfully with LC-MS. Acidification to stabilize the sample before freezing to maintain the integrity of samples has been reported to be beneficial. However, there are arguments both for and against working at acidic pHs. Wastewater parameters mentioned earlier are quick and easy to quantify, but the data does not always represent the human population effectively. A preference for population indicators originating solely from humans is apparent. This review summarises methods employed for chemical indicators in wastewater, provides a basis for choosing an appropriate extraction and analysis method, and highlights the utility of accurate chemical tracer data for wastewater-based epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femi F Oloye
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
| | - Yuwei Xie
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | | | | | - Markus Brinkmann
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kerry N McPhedran
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Paul D Jones
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Mark R Servos
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA; Department of Integrative Biology and Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
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8
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[Viruses present in the environment: virological considerations and examples of their impact on human health]. REVUE FRANCOPHONE DES LABORATOIRES : RFL 2023; 2023:33-43. [PMID: 36879984 PMCID: PMC9978926 DOI: 10.1016/s1773-035x(23)00053-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Animal viruses are present in most human environments. Their viability in these media is very variable and the most important element that conditions this viability is the existence or not of a phospholipid envelope surrounding the nucleocapsid. After some general considerations on the structure of viruses, their multiplication cycle and their resistance to different physico-chemical agents, some examples of the impact of animal viruses present in the environment on human health will be presented. The situations that are related concern recent epidemiological events: circulation of type 2 polioviruses derived from the Sabin vaccine strain in the wastewater of New York, London and Jerusalem; risk of transmission of Sars-CoV-2 during the spreading of sludge from wastewater treatment plants on agricultural land in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic; « new » forms of food-borne poisoning of viral origin (hepatitis E, tick-borne encephalitis, Nipah virus infection); contamination by epidemic viruses of mobile phones used by pediatricians; role of fomites in the spread of orthopoxvirus infections (smallpox, cowpox, monkeypox). The risk attached to animal viruses present in the environment must be assessed in a measured way without overestimating or underestimating their potential consequences for human health.
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9
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Cimolai N. Disinfection and decontamination in the context of SARS-CoV-2-specific data. J Med Virol 2022; 94:4654-4668. [PMID: 35758523 PMCID: PMC9350315 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Given the high transmissibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as witnessed early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, concerns arose with the existing methods for virus disinfection and decontamination. The need for SARS-CoV-2-specific data stimulated considerable research in this regard. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 is practically and equally susceptible to approaches for disinfection and decontamination that have been previously found for other human or animal coronaviruses. The latter have included techniques utilizing temperature modulation, pH extremes, irradiation, and chemical treatments. These physicochemical methods are a necessary adjunct to other prevention strategies, given the environmental and patient surface ubiquity of the virus. Classic studies of disinfection have also allowed for extrapolation to the eradication of the virus on human mucosal surfaces by some chemical means. Despite considerable laboratory study, practical field assessments are generally lacking and need to be encouraged to confirm the correlation of interventions with viral eradication and infection prevention. Transparency in the constitution and use of any method or chemical is also essential to furthering practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevio Cimolai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of MedicineThe University of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineChildren's and Women's Health Centre of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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10
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Boni M, Gorgé O, Mullot JU, Wurtzer S, Moulin L, Maday Y, Obépine G, Canini F, Chantre M, Teyssou R, Maréchal V, Janvier F, Tournier JN. [The French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute (IRBA) and wastewater-based epidemiology: Applicability and relevance in armed forces]. BULLETIN DE L'ACADEMIE NATIONALE DE MEDECINE 2022; 206:1011-1021. [PMID: 36778592 PMCID: PMC9906811 DOI: 10.1016/j.banm.2022.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute (IRBA) deeply involved in research on SARS-COV-2, participated in the creation of the Obépine sentinel network in charge of detecting, qualifying and quantifying the virus genome in wastewater in France. During this pandemic, wastewater-based epidemiology has proven to be a first class public health tool for assessing viral dynamics in populations and environment. Obépine has also conducted research demonstrating the low infectivity of faeces and wastewater and allowed for early detection of epidemic waves linked to new variants. The IRBA has adapted this powerful tool to the monitoring of viral infections on board the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle in order to get an operational system for anticipation after the first local outbreak in 2020. The presence of this surveillance and anticipation tool has allowed a better management of SARS-CoV-2 contingent introductions on board during stopovers or crewmembers entries. The combination of a mandatory vaccination protocol and the surveillance of viral circulation in black waters has made it possible to identify and locate cases, and thus to continue the operational mission in the COVID-19 environment while limiting the spread and preserving the health of the crew. This innovative tool can easily be redirected to the search for any other pathogens in blackwater or even, in the long term, to ensure health surveillance of any military establishment, at sea or on land, in France or on overseas bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Boni
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, 1, place Valérie-André, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - O Gorgé
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, 1, place Valérie-André, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - J-U Mullot
- Laboratoire d'analyses de surveillance et d'expertise de la Marine, 83000 Toulon, France
- Laboratoire d'analyses de surveillance et d'expertise de la Marine, 83000 Toulon, France
| | - S Wurtzer
- Eau de Paris, département de recherche, développement et qualité de l'eau, 33, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - L Moulin
- Eau de Paris, département de recherche, développement et qualité de l'eau, 33, avenue Jean-Jaurès, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - Y Maday
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Université de Paris, Laboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions (LJLL), Institut universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - Gis Obépine
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - F Canini
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, 1, place Valérie-André, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
- École du Val-de-Grâce, 75005 Paris, France
| | - M Chantre
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, 1, place Valérie-André, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - R Teyssou
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, 1, place Valérie-André, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
- École du Val-de-Grâce, 75005 Paris, France
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - V Maréchal
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de recherche Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris, France
- Groupement d'intérêt scientifique Obépine, France
| | - F Janvier
- Hôpital d'instruction des armées Sainte-Anne, service de microbiologie et hygiène hospitalière, 83000 Toulon, France
| | - J-N Tournier
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, 1, place Valérie-André, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
- École du Val-de-Grâce, 75005 Paris, France
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11
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Wurtzer S, Lacote S, Murri S, Marianneau P, Monchatre-Leroy E, Boni M, Ferraris O, Maday Y, Kébé O, Dia N, Peyrefitte C, Sokol H, Moulin L, Maréchal V. Reduction in SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infectivity in Human and Hamster Feces. Viruses 2022; 14:v14081777. [PMID: 36016399 PMCID: PMC9415851 DOI: 10.3390/v14081777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: There is extensive evidence that SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the infectivity of virions in feces is poorly documented. Although the primary mode of transmission is airborne, the risk of transmission from contaminated feces remains to be assessed. Design: The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 (infectivity and RNA) in human and animal feces was evaluated by virus isolation on cell culture and RT-qPCR, respectively. The exposure of golden Syrian hamsters to experimentally contaminated feces through intranasal inoculation has also been tested to assess the fecal-oral transmission route. Results: For periods that are compatible with average intestinal transit, the SARS-CoV-2 genome was noticeably stable in human and animal feces, contrary to the virus infectivity that was reduced in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. In human stools, this reduction was variable depending on the donors. Viral RNA was excreted in the feces of infected hamsters, but exposure of naïve hamsters to feces of infected animals did not lead to any productive infection. Conversely, hamsters could be experimentally infected following exposure to spiked fresh feces. Conclusion: Infection following exposure to naturally contaminated feces has been suspected but has not been established so far. The present work demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 rapidly lost infectivity in spiked or naturally infected feces. Although the possibility of persistent viral particles in human or animal feces cannot be fully ruled out, SARS-CoV-2 transmission after exposure to contaminated feces is unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Wurtzer
- Research and Development Department, Eau de Paris, 33 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Sandra Lacote
- ANSES—Laboratoire de Lyon, Unité Virologie, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Severine Murri
- ANSES—Laboratoire de Lyon, Unité Virologie, 69007 Lyon, France
| | | | | | - Mickaël Boni
- French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Olivier Ferraris
- French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, 91220 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Yvon Maday
- Laboratoire Jacques-Louis Lions (LJLL), CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Ndongo Dia
- Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar 12900, Senegal
| | - Christophe Peyrefitte
- Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar 12900, Senegal
- Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, 97300 Cayenne, France
| | - Harry Sokol
- INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Saint Antoine Hospital, Gastroenterology Department, Sorbonne Université, 75571 Paris, France
- Paris Centre for Microbiome Medicine (PaCeMM) FHU, 75571 Paris, France
- INRAe, UMR1319 Micalis and AgroParisTech, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France
| | | | - Laurent Moulin
- Research and Development Department, Eau de Paris, 33 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Vincent Maréchal
- INSERM U938, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Sorbonne Université, 75012 Paris, France
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12
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Parida VK, Sikarwar D, Majumder A, Gupta AK. An assessment of hospital wastewater and biomedical waste generation, existing legislations, risk assessment, treatment processes, and scenario during COVID-19. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 308:114609. [PMID: 35101807 PMCID: PMC8789570 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Hospitals release significant quantities of wastewater (HWW) and biomedical waste (BMW), which hosts a wide range of contaminants that can adversely affect the environment if left untreated. The COVID-19 outbreak has further increased hospital waste generation over the past two years. In this context, a thorough literature study was carried out to reveal the negative implications of untreated hospital waste and delineate the proper ways to handle them. Conventional treatment methods can remove only 50%-70% of the emerging contaminants (ECs) present in the HWW. Still, many countries have not implemented suitable treatment methods to treat the HWW in-situ. This review presents an overview of worldwide HWW generation, regulations, and guidelines on HWW management and highlights the various treatment techniques for efficiently removing ECs from HWW. When combined with advanced oxidation processes, biological or physical treatment processes could remove around 90% of ECs. Analgesics were found to be more easily removed than antibiotics, β-blockers, and X-ray contrast media. The different environmental implications of BMW have also been highlighted. Mishandling of BMW can spread infections, deadly diseases, and hazardous waste into the environment. Hence, the different steps associated with collection to final disposal of BMW have been delineated to minimize the associated health risks. The paper circumscribes the multiple aspects of efficient hospital waste management and may be instrumental during the COVID-19 pandemic when the waste generation from all hospitals worldwide has increased significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Kumar Parida
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Divyanshu Sikarwar
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Abhradeep Majumder
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Ashok Kumar Gupta
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
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13
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Sakarovitch C, Schlosser O, Courtois S, Proust-Lima C, Couallier J, Pétrau A, Litrico X, Loret JF. Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: what normalisation for improved understanding of epidemic trends? JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:712-726. [PMID: 35482387 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification in wastewater has emerged as a relevant additional means to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the concentration can be affected by black water dilution factors or movements of the sewer shed population, leading to misinterpretation of measurement results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of different indicators to accurately interpret SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. Weekly/bi-weekly measurements from three cities in France were analysed from February to September 2021. The concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 gene copies were normalised to the faecal-contributing population using simple sewage component indicators. To reduce the measurement error, a composite index was created to combine simultaneously the information carried by the simple indicators. The results showed that the regularity (mean absolute difference between observation and the smoothed curve) of the simple indicators substantially varied across sampling points. The composite index consistently showed better regularity compared to the other indicators and was associated to the lowest variation in correlation coefficient across sampling points. These findings suggest the recommendation for the use of a composite index in wastewater-based epidemiology to compensate for variability in measurement results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sophie Courtois
- SUEZ, CIRSEE, 38 rue du Président Wilson, 78230 Le Pecq, France
| | - Cécile Proust-Lima
- Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux Population Health Center, UMR1219, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Joanne Couallier
- SUEZ, LYRE, 15 av Léonard de Vinci, 33600 Pessac, France E-mail:
| | - Agnès Pétrau
- SUEZ Rivages Pro Tech, Technopôle Izarbel, 2 Allée Théodore Monod, 64210 Bidart, France
| | - Xavier Litrico
- SUEZ, CB21, 16 Place de l'Iris, 92040 Paris La Défense, France
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14
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Amoah ID, Abunama T, Awolusi OO, Pillay L, Pillay K, Kumari S, Bux F. Effect of selected wastewater characteristics on estimation of SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 203:111877. [PMID: 34390718 PMCID: PMC8356757 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology has been used as a tool for surveillance of COVID-19 infections. This approach is dependent on the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in untreated/raw wastewater. However, the quantification of the viral RNA could be influenced by the physico-chemical properties of the wastewater. This study presents the first use of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to determine the potential impact of physico-chemical characteristics of wastewater on the detection and concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Raw wastewater samples from four wastewater treatment plants were investigated over four months. The physico-chemical characteristics of the raw wastewater was recorded, and the SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration determined via amplification with droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. The wastewater characteristics considered were chemical oxygen demand, flow rate, ammonia, pH, permanganate value, and total solids. The mean SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations ranged from 648.1(±514.6) copies/mL to 1441.0(±1977.8) copies/mL. Among the parameters assessed using the ANFIS model, ammonia and pH showed significant association with the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA measured. Increasing ammonia concentration was associated with increasing viral RNA concentration and pH between 7.1 and 7.4 were associated with the highest SARS-CoV-2 concentration. Other parameters, such as total solids, were also observed to influence the viral RNA concentration, however, this observation was not consistent across all the wastewater treatment plants. The results from this study indicate the importance of incorporating wastewater characteristic assessment into wastewater-based epidemiology for a robust and accurate COVID-19 surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Dennis Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Taher Abunama
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Oluyemi Olatunji Awolusi
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Leanne Pillay
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Kriveshin Pillay
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Sheena Kumari
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa.
| | - Faizal Bux
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa
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