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Shaffer M, Huynh K, Costantini V, Vinjé J, Bibby K. Heat inactivation of aqueous viable norovirus and MS2 bacteriophage. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae033. [PMID: 38341278 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to compare the heat inactivation kinetics of viable human norovirus with the surrogate, MS2 bacteriophage as well as assess the decay of the RNA signal. METHODS AND RESULTS Human intestinal enteroids were used to analyze the heat inactivation kinetics of viable human norovirus compared to the surrogate MS2 bacteriophage, which was cultured using a plaque assay. Norovirus decay rates were 0.22 min-1, 0.68 min-1, and 1.11 min-1 for 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C, respectively, and MS2 bacteriophage decay rates were 0.0065 min-1, 0.045 min-1, and 0.16 min-1 for 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C, respectively. Norovirus had significantly higher decay rates than MS2 bacteriophage at all tested temperatures (P = .002-.007). No decrease of RNA titers as measured by reverse transcription-PCR for both human norovirus and MS2 bacteriophage over time was observed, indicating molecular methods do not accurately depict viable human norovirus after heat inactivation and treatment efficiency is underestimated. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our data demonstrate that MS2 bacteriophage is a conservative surrogate to measure heat inactivation and potentially overestimates the infectious risk of norovirus. Furthermore, this study corroborates that measuring viral RNA titers, as evaluated by PCR methods, does not correlate with the persistence of viable norovirus under heat inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlee Shaffer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kimberly Huynh
- National Calicivirus Laboratory, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Verónica Costantini
- National Calicivirus Laboratory, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jan Vinjé
- National Calicivirus Laboratory, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
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2
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Philo SE, De León KB, Noble RT, Zhou NA, Alghafri R, Bar-Or I, Darling A, D'Souza N, Hachimi O, Kaya D, Kim S, Gaardbo Kuhn K, Layton BA, Mansfeldt C, Oceguera B, Radniecki TS, Ram JL, Saunders LP, Shrestha A, Stadler LB, Steele JA, Stevenson BS, Vogel JR, Bibby K, Boehm AB, Halden RU, Delgado Vela J. Wastewater surveillance for bacterial targets: current challenges and future goals. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0142823. [PMID: 38099657 PMCID: PMC10807411 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01428-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) expanded rapidly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the public health emergency has ended, researchers and practitioners are looking to shift the focus of existing wastewater surveillance programs to other targets, including bacteria. Bacterial targets may pose some unique challenges for WBE applications. To explore the current state of the field, the National Science Foundation-funded Research Coordination Network (RCN) on Wastewater Based Epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Public Health Threats held a workshop in April 2023 to discuss the challenges and needs for wastewater bacterial surveillance. The targets and methods used in existing programs were diverse, with twelve different targets and nine different methods listed. Discussions during the workshop highlighted the challenges in adapting existing programs and identified research gaps in four key areas: choosing new targets, relating bacterial wastewater data to human disease incidence and prevalence, developing methods, and normalizing results. To help with these challenges and research gaps, the authors identified steps the larger community can take to improve bacteria wastewater surveillance. This includes developing data reporting standards and method optimization and validation for bacterial programs. Additionally, more work is needed to understand shedding patterns for potential bacterial targets to better relate wastewater data to human infections. Wastewater surveillance for bacteria can help provide insight into the underlying prevalence in communities, but much work is needed to establish these methods.IMPORTANCEWastewater surveillance was a useful tool to elucidate the burden and spread of SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic. Public health officials and researchers are interested in expanding these surveillance programs to include bacterial targets, but many questions remain. The NSF-funded Research Coordination Network for Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Public Health Threats held a workshop to identify barriers and research gaps to implementing bacterial wastewater surveillance programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Philo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Kara B. De León
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Rachel T. Noble
- Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicolette A. Zhou
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rashed Alghafri
- International Center for Forensic Sciences, Dubai Police, Dubai, UAE
| | - Itay Bar-Or
- Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Amanda Darling
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Nishita D'Souza
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Oumaima Hachimi
- School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Sooyeol Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Katrin Gaardbo Kuhn
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Cresten Mansfeldt
- Environmental Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Bethany Oceguera
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Tyler S. Radniecki
- School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Ram
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Abhilasha Shrestha
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Division, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lauren B. Stadler
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joshua A. Steele
- Department of Microbiology, Southern California Coastal Research Project, Costa Mesa, California, USA
| | | | - Jason R. Vogel
- School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Alexandria B. Boehm
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Rolf U. Halden
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Jeseth Delgado Vela
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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3
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North D, Bibby K. Comparison of viral concentration techniques for native fecal indicators and pathogens from wastewater. Sci Total Environ 2023; 905:167190. [PMID: 37741389 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Viral pathogens are typically dilute in environmental waters, necessitating a concentration step prior to subsequent quantification or analysis. Historically, studies on viral concentration efficiency have been done by spiking known viruses into the sample; however, spike-in controls may not have the same behavior as "native" viruses exposed to environmental conditions. In this study, four concentration methods, including polyethylene glycol precipitation (PEG), skimmed milk flocculation (SMF), pH drop followed by filtration through a 0.45 μm filter (pH), and centrifugation using an Amicon filter (Amicon), were evaluated to concentrate native viral targets in wastewater. Viral targets included both indicators (crAssphage and pepper mild mottle virus) and pathogens (adenovirus, norovirus GII, human polyomavirus, and SARS-CoV-2) in addition to a bacterial marker (HF183). A non-native spike-in control was also added to compare native and spike-in recoveries. Recovery varied widely across targets and methods, ranging from 0.1 to 39.3 %. The Amicon method was the most broadly effective concentration for recovery efficiency. For the lowest-titer target, the PEG method resulted in the lowest number of non-detections, with 96.7 % positive detections for SARS-CoV-2, compared to 66.7 %, 80 %, and 76.7 % positive detections for SMF, pH, and Amicon, respectively. The non-native spike-ins chosen were only representative of a few native recovery trends, varying by both target and concentration method, and consistently under or over-estimated recovery. Overall, this study suggests the utility of including native targets in viral concentration evaluation and determining the efficiency of concentration methods for a specific target of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin North
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States.
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Snyder ED, Tank JL, Brandão-Dias PFP, Bibby K, Shogren AJ, Bivins AW, Peters B, Curtis EM, Bolster D, Egan SP, Lamberti GA. Environmental DNA (eDNA) removal rates in streams differ by particle size under varying substrate and light conditions. Sci Total Environ 2023; 903:166469. [PMID: 37633388 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a sampling tool offers insights into the detection of invasive and/or rare aquatic species and enables biodiversity assessment without traditional sampling approaches, which are often labor-intensive. However, our understanding of the environmental factors that impact eDNA removal (i.e., how rapidly eDNA is removed from the water column by the combination of decay and physical removal) in flowing waters is limited. This limitation constrains predictions about the location and density of target organisms after positive detection. To address this question, we spiked Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) eDNA into recirculating mesocosms (n = 24) under varying light (shaded versus open) and benthic substrate conditions (no substrate, bare substrate, and biofilm-colonized substrate). We then collected water samples from each mesocosm at four time points (40 min, 6 h, 18 h, and 48 h), and sequentially filtered the samples through 10, 1.0, and 0.2 μm filters to quantify removal rates for different eDNA particle sizes under varying light and substrate conditions. Combining all size classes, total eDNA removal rates were higher for mesocosms with biofilm-colonized substrate compared to those with no substrate or bare (i.e., no biofilm) substrate, which is consistent with previous findings linking biofilm colonization with increased eDNA removal and degradation. Additionally, when biofilm was present, light availability increased eDNA removal; eDNA levels fell below detection after 6-18 h for open mesocosms versus 18-48 h for shaded mesocosms. Among size classes, larger particles (>10 μm) were removed faster than small particles (1.0-0.2 μm). These results suggest that changes in the distribution of eDNA size classes over time (e.g., with downstream transport) and with differing environmental conditions could be used to predict the location of target organisms in flowing waters, which will advance the use of eDNA as a tool for species monitoring and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise D Snyder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Jennifer L Tank
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | | | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall of Engineering, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Arial J Shogren
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Science and Engineering Complex,1325 Hackberry Ln, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA.
| | - Aaron W Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, 3255 Patrick F. Taylor Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
| | - Brett Peters
- Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, 721 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Erik M Curtis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Diogo Bolster
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall of Engineering, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Scott P Egan
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005-1827, USA.
| | - Gary A Lamberti
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 100 Galvin Life Sciences, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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5
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Shaffer M, Fischer RJ, Gallogly S, Ginn O, Munster V, Bibby K. Environmental Persistence and Disinfection of Lassa Virus. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2285-2291. [PMID: 37877545 PMCID: PMC10617325 DOI: 10.3201/eid2911.230678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Lassa fever, caused by Lassa virus (LASV), is endemic to West Africa, where ≈300,000 illnesses and ≈5,000 deaths occur annually. LASV is primarily spread by infected multimammate rats via urine and fomites, highlighting the need to understand the environmental fate of LASV. We evaluated persistence of LASV Josiah and Sauerwald strains on surfaces, in aqueous solutions, and with sodium hypochlorite disinfection. Tested strains were more stable in deionized water (first-order rate constant [k] for Josiah, 0.23 days; for Sauerwald, k = 0.34 days) than primary influent wastewater (Josiah, k = 1.3 days; Sauerwald, k = 1.9 days). Both strains had similar decay rates on high-density polyethylene (Josiah, k = 4.3 days; Sauerwald, k = 2.3 days) and stainless steel (Josiah, k = 5.3 days; Sauerwald, k = 2.7 days). Sodium hypochlorite was highly effective at inactivating both strains. Our findings can inform future risk assessment and management efforts for Lassa fever.
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6
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Chen W, Bibby K. Making waves: Establishing a modeling framework to evaluate novel targets for wastewater-based surveillance. Water Res 2023; 245:120573. [PMID: 37688859 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) monitoring of pathogens circulating within a community provides an improved understanding of the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases. However, the potential suitability of WBS for novel disease targets is unclear, including many emerging and neglected diseases. The current ad hoc approach of conducting wastewater detection experiments on novel disease targets to determine their suitability for WBS monitoring is resource intensive and may stall investment in this promising technology. In addition, detections, or non-detections, without the context of disease prevalence and shedding by infected individuals are difficult to interpret upon initial WBS target development. In this paper, we present a WBS feasibility analysis framework to identify which diseases are theoretically appropriate for WBS applications and to improve the initial interpretation of target detections. We then discuss five primary factors that influence the probability of detection in WBS monitoring - genome shedding rate, infection rate, per capita wastewater usage, process limit of detection (PLOD), and the number of PCR replicates. Clarifying the relationships between these factors and the likelihood of detection enhances quantitative insights into applying WBS, guiding researchers and stakeholders into mitigating inherent uncertainties of wastewater monitoring and subsequent improvements in WBS outcomes, thereby supporting future investment and expansion of WBS research, especially in novel disease targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Chen
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States.
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7
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Clements E, Irwin C, Taflanidis A, Bibby K, Nerenberg R. Impact of fixture purging on water age and excess water usage, considering stochastic water demands. Water Res 2023; 245:120643. [PMID: 37748346 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Higher water ages are linked with water quality decline as chlorine dissipates, temperatures become more favorable for microbial growth, and metals and organic matter leach from the pipes. Water fixtures with automated purging devices can limit water age in premise plumbing systems, but also increase water use. To develop purging strategies that lower age while also minimizing water use, the stochastic nature of water demands must be considered. In this research, a hydraulic plumbing network model, with stochastic demands at fixtures, was used to compare water age and water use for five purging conditions: purging at regular intervals, "smart" purging (considering the time of last use), purging with different volumes of water, purging at different fixtures, and the purging with different levels of home occupancy. Higher purging frequency and volume resulted in lower water ages, but higher water use. Purging greatly reduced the variability in water ages, avoiding extreme ages entirely. Water age was minimized by scheduling the purging around occupancy behavior, such as before the occupants wake up or return from work. Scheduled purging used more water than smart purging. Purging after 12 h of nonuse used only 55% of the additional water required for purging every 12 h. Purging after 24 h of nonuse at the kitchen tap and shower used only 38% of the additional water required for purging every 24 h, while maintaining lower water ages and removing the variability in water ages. While larger purging volumes had a greater impact on water age, there were diminishing returns. Purging has a larger impact on low-occupancy homes because fixtures have less frequent use. Overall, this research provides a methodology to compare purging strategies that minimize both water age and water use. While the numerical results presented here are only valid for the specific layout and usage habits, they provide insights and trends applicable to other cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Clements
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Christopher Irwin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Alexandros Taflanidis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Robert Nerenberg
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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8
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Yinda CK, Morris DH, Fischer RJ, Gallogly S, Weishampel ZA, Port JR, Bushmaker T, Schulz JE, Bibby K, van Doremalen N, Lloyd-Smith JO, Munster VJ. Stability of Monkeypox Virus in Body Fluids and Wastewater. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2065-2072. [PMID: 37735747 PMCID: PMC10521604 DOI: 10.3201/eid2910.230824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
An outbreak of human mpox infection in nonendemic countries appears to have been driven largely by transmission through body fluids or skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. We evaluated the stability of monkeypox virus (MPXV) in different environments and specific body fluids and tested the effectiveness of decontamination methodologies. MPXV decayed faster at higher temperatures, and rates varied considerably depending on the medium in which virus was suspended, both in solution and on surfaces. More proteinaceous fluids supported greater persistence. Chlorination was an effective decontamination technique, but only at higher concentrations. Wastewater was more difficult to decontaminate than plain deionized water; testing for infectious MPXV could be a helpful addition to PCR-based wastewater surveillance when high levels of viral DNA are detected. Our findings suggest that, because virus stability is sufficient to support environmental MPXV transmission in healthcare settings, exposure and dose-response will be limiting factors for those transmission routes.
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9
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Brandão-Dias PFP, Tank JL, Snyder ED, Mahl UH, Peters B, Bolster D, Shogren AJ, Lamberti GA, Bibby K, Egan SP. Suspended Materials Affect Particle Size Distribution and Removal of Environmental DNA in Flowing Waters. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:13161-13171. [PMID: 37610829 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) in aquatic systems is a complex mixture that includes dissolved DNA, intracellular DNA, and particle-adsorbed DNA. Information about the various components of eDNA and their relative proportions could be used to discern target organism abundance and location. However, a limited knowledge of eDNA adsorption dynamics and interactions with other materials hinders these applications. To address this gap, we used recirculating stream mesocosms to investigate the impact of suspended materials (fine particulate organic matter, plankton, clay, and titanium dioxide) on the eDNA concentration and particle size distribution (PSD) from two fish species in flowing water. Our findings revealed that eDNA rapidly adsorbs to other materials in the water column, affecting its concentration and PSD. Nonetheless, only particulate organic matter affected eDNA removal rate after 30 h. Moreover, we observed that the removal of larger eDNA components (≥10 μm) was more strongly influenced by physical processes, whereas the removal of smaller eDNA components was driven by biological degradation. This disparity in removal mechanisms between larger and smaller eDNA components could explain changes in eDNA composition over time and space, which have implications for modeling the spatial distribution and abundance of target species and optimizing eDNA detection in high turbidity systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer L Tank
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
- Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Elise D Snyder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Ursula H Mahl
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Brett Peters
- Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Diogo Bolster
- Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Arial J Shogren
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401, United States
| | - Gary A Lamberti
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
- Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Notre Dame Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Scott P Egan
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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10
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Ginn O, Tank JL, Badilla-Aguilar A, Snyder E, Brandão-Dias PFP, Thrift E, Bolster D, Bibby K. Persistence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes Varies with Particle Size and Substrate Conditions in Recirculating Streams. Environ Sci Technol 2023. [PMID: 37290054 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AR) determinants are enriched in animal manures, a significant portion of which is land-applied as a soil amendment or as fertilizer, leading to potential AR runoff and microbial pollution in adjacent surface waters. To effectively inform AR monitoring and mitigation efforts, a thorough understanding and description of the persistence and transport of manure-derived AR in flowing waters are needed. We used experimental recirculating mesocosms to assess water-column removal rates of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) originating from a cow manure slurry collected from a dairy farm. We quantified the effect of three benthic (i.e., bottom) substrate variations and particle sizes of manure slurry on water column removal rates. Overall, we observed variation in ARG behavior across substrate treatments and particle sizes. For ARGs associated with small particles, removal rates were higher in mesocosms with a substrate. tetW was typically removed at the highest rates across particle size and treatment, followed by ermB and blaTEM. Our data suggests that both substrate character and particle size exert control on the fate and transport of ARGs in surface waters, laying the foundation for future research in this area to establish a predictive framework for AR persistence and fate in flowing waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Ginn
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Jennifer L Tank
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Andrei Badilla-Aguilar
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Elise Snyder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | | | - Emma Thrift
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Diogo Bolster
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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11
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Rocha-Melogno L, Crank K, Bergin MH, Gray GC, Bibby K, Deshusses MA. Quantitative risk assessment of COVID-19 aerosol transmission indoors: a mechanistic stochastic web application. Environ Technol 2023; 44:1201-1212. [PMID: 34726128 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2021.1998228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An increasing body of literature suggests that aerosol inhalation plays a primary role in COVID-19 transmission, particularly in indoor settings. Mechanistic stochastic models can help public health professionals, engineers, and space planners understand the risk of aerosol transmission of COVID-19 to mitigate it. We developed such model and a user-friendly web application to meet the need of accessible risk assessment tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. We built our model based on the Wells-Riley model of respiratory disease transmission, using quanta emission rates obtained from COVID-19 outbreak investigations. In this report, three modelled scenarios were evaluated and compared to epidemiological studies looking at similar settings: classrooms, weddings, and heavy exercise sessions. We found that the risk of long-range aerosol transmission increased 309-332% when people were not wearing masks, and 424-488% when the room was poorly ventilated in addition to no masks being worn across the scenarios. Also, the risk of transmission could be reduced by ∼40-60% with ventilation rates of 5 ACH for 1-4 h exposure events, and ∼70% with ventilation rates of 10 ACH for 4 h exposure events. Relative humidity reduced the risk of infection (inducing viral inactivation) by a maximum of ∼40% in a 4 h exposure event at 70% RH compared to a dryer indoor environment with 25% RH. Our web application has been used by more than 1000 people in 52 countries as of September 1st, 2021. Future work is needed to obtain SARS-CoV-2 dose-response functions for more accurate risk estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Rocha-Melogno
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- ICF, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Katherine Crank
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Michael H Bergin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gregory C Gray
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Global Health Research Center, Duke-Kunshan University, Kunshan, People's Republic of China
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Marc A Deshusses
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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12
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Tiwari A, Adhikari S, Kaya D, Islam MA, Malla B, Sherchan SP, Al-Mustapha AI, Kumar M, Aggarwal S, Bhattacharya P, Bibby K, Halden RU, Bivins A, Haramoto E, Oikarinen S, Heikinheimo A, Pitkänen T. Monkeypox outbreak: Wastewater and environmental surveillance perspective. Sci Total Environ 2023; 856:159166. [PMID: 36202364 PMCID: PMC9534267 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Monkeypox disease (MPXD), a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), is an emerging zoonotic disease endemic in some countries of Central and Western Africa but seldom reported outside the affected region. Since May 2022, MPXD has been reported at least in 74 countries globally, prompting the World Health Organization to declare the MPXD outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. As of July 24, 2022; 92 % (68/74) of the countries with reported MPXD cases had no historical MPXD case reports. From the One Health perspective, the spread of MPXV in the environment poses a risk not only to humans but also to small mammals and may, ultimately, spread to potent novel host populations. Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) has been extensively utilized to monitor communicable diseases, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It helped in monitoring infectious disease caseloads as well as specific viral variants circulating in communities. The detection of MPXV DNA in lesion materials (e.g. skin, vesicle fluid, crusts), skin rashes, and various body fluids, including respiratory and nasal secretions, saliva, urine, feces, and semen of infected individuals, supports the possibility of using WBS as an early proxy for the detection of MPXV infections. WBS of MPXV DNA can be used to monitor MPXV activity/trends in sewerage network areas even before detecting laboratory-confirmed clinical cases within a community. However, several factors affect the detection of MPXV in wastewater including, but not limited to, routes and duration time of virus shedding by infected individuals, infection rates in the relevant affected population, environmental persistence, the processes and analytical sensitivity of the used methods. Further research is needed to identify the key factors that impact the detection of MPXV biomarkers in wastewater and improve the utility of WBS of MPXV as an early warning and monitoring tool for safeguarding human health. In this review, we shortly summarize aspects of the MPXV outbreak relevant to wastewater monitoring and discuss the challenges associated with WBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananda Tiwari
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Health Security, Expert Microbiology Research Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland.
| | - Sangeet Adhikari
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh; Advanced Molecular Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Bikash Malla
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Ahmad I Al-Mustapha
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Services, Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Manish Kumar
- Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Srijan Aggarwal
- Department of Civil, Geological and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Mines, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 755900, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, LA, USA
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Annamari Heikinheimo
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Food Authority, Seinäjoki, Finland
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Health Security, Expert Microbiology Research Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
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13
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Brandão-Dias PFP, Hallack DMC, Snyder ED, Tank JL, Bolster D, Volponi S, Shogren AJ, Lamberti GA, Bibby K, Egan SP. Particle size influences decay rates of environmental DNA in aquatic systems. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:756-770. [PMID: 36633071 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is a powerful tool for remote detection of target organisms. However, obtaining quantitative and longitudinal information from eDNA data is challenging, requiring a deep understanding of eDNA ecology. Notably, if the various size components of eDNA decay at different rates, and we can separate them within a sample, their changing proportions could be used to obtain longitudinal dynamics information on targets. To test this possibility, we conducted an aquatic mesocosm experiment in which we separated fish-derived eDNA components using sequential filtration to evaluate the decay rate and changing proportion of various eDNA particle sizes over time. We then fit four alternative mathematical decay models to the data, building towards a predictive framework to interpret eDNA data from various particle sizes. We found that medium-sized particles (1-10 μm) decayed more slowly than other size classes (i.e., <1 and > 10 μm), and thus made up an increasing proportion of eDNA particles over time. We also observed distinct eDNA particle size distribution (PSD) between our Common carp and Rainbow trout samples, suggesting that target-specific assays are required to determine starting eDNA PSDs. Additionally, we found evidence that different sizes of eDNA particles do not decay independently, with particle size conversion replenishing smaller particles over time. Nonetheless, a parsimonious mathematical model where particle sizes decay independently best explained the data. Given these results, we suggest a framework to discern target distance and abundance with eDNA data by applying sequential filtration, which theoretically has both metabarcoding and single-target applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel M C Hallack
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Elise D Snyder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Jennifer L Tank
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Diogo Bolster
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Sabrina Volponi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Arial J Shogren
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Gary A Lamberti
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Scott P Egan
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
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14
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Naughton CC, Roman FA, Alvarado AGF, Tariqi AQ, Deeming MA, Kadonsky KF, Bibby K, Bivins A, Medema G, Ahmed W, Katsivelis P, Allan V, Sinclair R, Rose JB. Show us the data: global COVID-19 wastewater monitoring efforts, equity, and gaps. FEMS Microbes 2023; 4:xtad003. [PMID: 37333436 PMCID: PMC10117741 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtad003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A year since the declaration of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there were over 110 million cases and 2.5 million deaths. Learning from methods to track community spread of other viruses such as poliovirus, environmental virologists and those in the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) field quickly adapted their existing methods to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Unlike COVID-19 case and mortality data, there was not a global dashboard to track wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA worldwide. This study provides a 1-year review of the "COVIDPoops19" global dashboard of universities, sites, and countries monitoring SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Methods to assemble the dashboard combined standard literature review, Google Form submissions, and daily, social media keyword searches. Over 200 universities, 1400 sites, and 55 countries with 59 dashboards monitored wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. However, monitoring was primarily in high-income countries (65%) with less access to this valuable tool in low- and middle-income countries (35%). Data were not widely shared publicly or accessible to researchers to further inform public health actions, perform meta-analysis, better coordinate, and determine equitable distribution of monitoring sites. For WBE to be used to its full potential during COVID-19 and beyond, show us the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen C Naughton
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Fernando A Roman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Ana Grace F Alvarado
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Arianna Q Tariqi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Matthew A Deeming
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Krystin F Kadonsky
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA 95343, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Gertjan Medema
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
- Michigan State University, 1405 S Harrison Rd, East-Lansing, MI 48823, United States
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | | | - Vajra Allan
- PATH 2201 Westlake Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98121, United States
| | - Ryan Sinclair
- Schools of Public Health and Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, United States
| | - Joan B Rose
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
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15
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Hoar C, McClary-Gutierrez J, Wolfe MK, Bivins A, Bibby K, Silverman AI, McLellan SL. Looking Forward: The Role of Academic Researchers in Building Sustainable Wastewater Surveillance Programs. Environ Health Perspect 2022; 130:125002. [PMID: 36580023 PMCID: PMC9799055 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In just over 2 years, tracking the COVID-19 pandemic through wastewater surveillance advanced from early reports of successful SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in untreated wastewater to implementation of programs in at least 60 countries. Early wastewater monitoring efforts primarily originated in research laboratories and are now transitioning into more formal surveillance programs run in commercial and public health laboratories. A major challenge in this progression has been to simultaneously optimize methods and build scientific consensus while implementing surveillance programs, particularly during the rapidly changing landscape of the pandemic. Translating wastewater surveillance results for effective use by public health agencies also remains a key objective for the field. OBJECTIVES We examined the evolution of wastewater surveillance to identify model collaborations and effective partnerships that have created rapid and sustained success. We propose needed areas of research and key roles academic researchers can play in the framework of wastewater surveillance to aid in the transition from early monitoring efforts to more formalized programs within the public health system. DISCUSSION Although wastewater surveillance has rapidly developed as a useful public health tool for tracking COVID-19, there remain technical challenges and open scientific questions that academic researchers are equipped to address. This includes validating methodology and backfilling important knowledge gaps, such as fate and transport of surveillance targets and epidemiological links to wastewater concentrations. Our experience in initiating and implementing wastewater surveillance programs in the United States has allowed us to reflect on key barriers and draw useful lessons on how to promote synergy between different areas of expertise. As wastewater surveillance programs are formalized, the working relationships developed between academic researchers, commercial and public health laboratories, and data users should promote knowledge co-development. We believe active involvement of academic researchers will contribute to building robust surveillance programs that will ultimately provide new insights into population health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11519.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Hoar
- Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Jill McClary-Gutierrez
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Marlene K. Wolfe
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Andrea I. Silverman
- Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Sandra L. McLellan
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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16
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Jensen MG, O'Shaughnessy PT, Shaffer M, Yu S, Choi YY, Christiansen M, Stanier CO, Hartley M, Huddle J, Johnson J, Bibby K, Myung NV, Cwiertny DM. Simple fabrication of an electrospun polystyrene microfiber filter that meets
N95
filtering facepiece respirator filtration and breathability standards. J Appl Polym Sci 2022; 140:e53406. [PMID: 37034442 PMCID: PMC10078598 DOI: 10.1002/app.53406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
During the global spread of COVID-19, high demand and limited availability of melt-blown filtration material led to a manufacturing backlog of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs). This shortfall prompted the search for alternative filter materials that could be quickly mass produced while meeting N95 FFR filtration and breathability performance standards. Here, an unsupported, nonwoven layer of uncharged polystyrene (PS) microfibers was produced via electrospinning that achieves N95 performance standards based on physical parameters (e.g., filter thickness) alone. PS microfibers 3-6 μm in diameter and deposited in an ~5 mm thick filter layer are favorable for use in FFRs, achieving high filtration efficiencies (≥97.5%) and low pressure drops (≤15 mm H2O). The PS microfiber filter demonstrates durability upon disinfection with hydroxyl radicals (•OH), maintaining high filtration efficiencies and low pressure drops over six rounds of disinfection. Additionally, the PS microfibers exhibit antibacterial activity (1-log removal of E. coli) and can be modified readily through integration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) during electrospinning to enhance their activity (≥3-log removal at 25 wt% AgNP integration). Because of their tunable performance, potential reusability with disinfection, and antimicrobial properties, these electrospun PS microfibers may represent a suitable, alternative filter material for use in N95 FFRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline G. Jensen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA
| | | | - Marlee Shaffer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA
| | - Sooyoun Yu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA
| | - Yun Young Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering University of California Riverside Riverside California USA
| | - Megan Christiansen
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Charles O. Stanier
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA
| | - Michael Hartley
- Department of Hospital Administration University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Iowa City Iowa USA
| | | | | | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA
| | - Nosang V. Myung
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA
| | - David M. Cwiertny
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USA
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17
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Ahmed W, Smith WJM, Metcalfe S, Jackson G, Choi PM, Morrison M, Field D, Gyawali P, Bivins A, Bibby K, Simpson SL. Comparison of RT-qPCR and RT-dPCR Platforms for the Trace Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater. ACS ES T Water 2022; 2:1871-1880. [PMID: 36380768 PMCID: PMC8848507 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.1c00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
We compared reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and RT digital PCR (RT-dPCR) platforms for the trace detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in low-prevalence COVID-19 locations in Queensland, Australia, using CDC N1 and CDC N2 assays. The assay limit of detection (ALOD), PCR inhibition rates, and performance characteristics of each assay, along with the positivity rates with the RT-qPCR and RT-dPCR platforms, were evaluated by seeding known concentrations of exogenous SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The ALODs using RT-dPCR were approximately 2-5 times lower than those using RT-qPCR. During sample processing, the endogenous (n = 96) and exogenous (n = 24) SARS-CoV-2 wastewater samples were separated, and RNA was extracted from both wastewater eluates and pellets (solids). The RT-dPCR platform demonstrated a detection rate significantly greater than that of RT-qPCR for the CDC N1 and CDC N2 assays in the eluate (N1, p = 0.0029; N2, p = 0.0003) and pellet (N1, p = 0.0015; N2, p = 0.0067) samples. The positivity results also indicated that for the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater, including the eluate and pellet samples may further increase the detection sensitivity using RT-dPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO
Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Wendy J. M. Smith
- CSIRO
Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Suzanne Metcalfe
- CSIRO
Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Greg Jackson
- Water
Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Phil M. Choi
- Water
Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Mary Morrison
- Water
Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Daniel Field
- Water
Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute
of Environmental Science and Research Ltd. (ESR), Porirua 5240, New Zealand
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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18
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Jakariya M, Ahmed F, Islam MA, Al Marzan A, Hasan MN, Hossain M, Ahmed T, Hossain A, Reza HM, Hossen F, Nahla T, Rahman MM, Bahadur NM, Islam MT, Didar-Ul-Alam M, Mow N, Jahan H, Barceló D, Bibby K, Bhattacharya P. Wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance to monitor the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in developing countries with onsite sanitation facilities. Environ Pollut 2022; 311:119679. [PMID: 35753547 PMCID: PMC9225114 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a valuable approach for forecasting disease outbreaks in developed countries with a centralized sewage infrastructure. On the other hand, due to the absence of well-defined and systematic sewage networks, WBE is challenging to implement in developing countries like Bangladesh where most people live in rural areas. Identification of appropriate locations for rural Hotspot Based Sampling (HBS) and urban Drain Based Sampling (DBS) are critical to enable WBE based monitoring system. We investigated the best sampling locations from both urban and rural areas in Bangladesh after evaluating the sanitation infrastructure for forecasting COVID-19 prevalence. A total of 168 wastewater samples were collected from 14 districts of Bangladesh during each of the two peak pandemic seasons. RT-qPCR commercial kits were used to target ORF1ab and N genes. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic materials was found in 98% (165/168) and 95% (160/168) wastewater samples in the first and second round sampling, respectively. Although wastewater effluents from both the marketplace and isolation center drains were found with the highest amount of genetic materials according to the mixed model, quantifiable SARS-CoV-2 RNAs were also identified in the other four sampling sites. Hence, wastewater samples of the marketplace in rural areas and isolation centers in urban areas can be considered the appropriate sampling sites to detect contagion hotspots. This is the first complete study to detect SARS-CoV-2 genetic components in wastewater samples collected from rural and urban areas for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. The results based on the study revealed a correlation between viral copy numbers in wastewater samples and SARS-CoV-2 positive cases reported by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) as part of the national surveillance program for COVID-19 prevention. The findings of this study will help in setting strategies and guidelines for the selection of appropriate sampling sites, which will facilitate in development of comprehensive wastewater-based epidemiological systems for surveillance of rural and urban areas of low-income countries with inadequate sewage infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Jakariya
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Firoz Ahmed
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Aminul Islam
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh; Advanced Molecular Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, President Abdul Hamid Medical College, Karimganj, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah Al Marzan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Nayeem Hasan
- Department of Statistics, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh
| | - Maqsud Hossain
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Tanvir Ahmed
- Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Ahmed Hossain
- Department of Public Health, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Hasan Mahmud Reza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Foysal Hossen
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Turasa Nahla
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Moshiur Rahman
- Department of Environmental Science and Management, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka, 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Newaz Mohammed Bahadur
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Md Tahmidul Islam
- WaterAid Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1213, Bangladesh; COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Md Didar-Ul-Alam
- Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - Nowrin Mow
- WaterAid Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1213, Bangladesh
| | - Hasin Jahan
- WaterAid Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1213, Bangladesh
| | - Damiá Barceló
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry Unit (ENFOCHEM), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), C. Jordi Giron 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- COVID-19 Research@KTH, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044, Stockholm, Sweden.
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19
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Abstract
Human noroviruses are one of the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Based on quantitative microbial risk assessments, norovirus contributes the greatest infectious risk of any pathogen from exposure to sewage-contaminated water; however, these estimates have been based upon molecular (i.e., RNA-based) data as human norovirus has remained largely unculturable in the laboratory. Current approaches to assess the environmental fate of noroviruses rely on the use of culturable surrogate viruses and molecular methods. Human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) are an emerging cell culture system capable of amplifying viable norovirus. Here, we applied the HIE assay to assess both viable norovirus and norovirus RNA persistence in surface, tap, and deionized water microcosms. Viable norovirus decreased to below the detection limit in tap and deionized water microcosms and was measured in a single replicate in the surface water microcosm at study conclusion (28 days). Conversely, the norovirus RNA signal remained constant over the duration of the study, even when viable norovirus was below the limit of detection. Our findings demonstrate the disconnect between current environmental norovirus detection via molecular methods and viability as assessed through the HIE assay. These results imply that molecular norovirus monitoring is not inherently representative of infectious norovirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlee Shaffer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Kimberly Huynh
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Calicivirus Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
| | - Verónica Costantini
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Calicivirus Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Calicivirus Laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
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20
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Rocha-Melogno L, Crank KC, Ginn O, Bergin MH, Brown J, Gray GC, Hamilton KA, Bibby K, Deshusses MA. Quantitative microbial risk assessment of outdoor aerosolized pathogens in cities with poor sanitation. Sci Total Environ 2022; 827:154233. [PMID: 35245543 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The aeromicrobiological transmission pathway of enteric pathogens in places with unsafe sanitation services is poorly understood. In an attempt to partly fill this knowledge gap, we assessed the potential public health impact of bioaerosols near open waste canals (OWCs) using Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA). We used data acquired in La Paz, Bolivia to characterize the risk of disease that aerosolized enteric pathogens may pose through food, fomites and inhalation (all followed by ingestion). Three reference pathogens were selected to conduct the assessment: enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Shigella flexneri, and Campylobacter jejuni. Inhalation followed by ingestion had the highest median infection risk per event i.e. 3 × 10-5 (3 infections for every 100,000 exposures), compared to contaminated food e.g. 5 × 10-6 and fomites e.g. 2 × 10-7, all for C. jejuni infections. Our sensitivity analysis showed that bacterial fluxes from the air were the most influential factor on risk. Our results suggest that fecal bacterial aerosols from OWCs present non-negligible risks of infection in La Paz, with median annual infection risks by C. jejuni being 18 (food), and 100 (inhalation) times greater than the EPA's standard for drinking water (1 × 10-4). We included two of the QMRA models presented here in a novel web application we developed for user-specified application in different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Rocha-Melogno
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States; Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, United States; ICF, 2635 Meridian Parkway Suite 200, Durham, NC 27713, United States
| | - Katherine C Crank
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Olivia Ginn
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
| | - Michael H Bergin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Joe Brown
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Gregory C Gray
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, United States; Global Health Research Center, Duke-Kunshan University, Kunshan, China; Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX 77555, United States
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 770 S College Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States; The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Marc A Deshusses
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States; Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, United States.
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21
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Ahmed W, Bivins A, Smith WJM, Metcalfe S, Stephens M, Jennison AV, Moore FAJ, Bourke J, Schlebusch S, McMahon J, Hewitson G, Nguyen S, Barcelon J, Jackson G, Mueller JF, Ehret J, Hosegood I, Tian W, Wang H, Yang L, Bertsch PM, Tynan J, Thomas KV, Bibby K, Graber TE, Ziels R, Simpson SL. Detection of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV-2 in aircraft wastewater. Sci Total Environ 2022; 820:153171. [PMID: 35051459 PMCID: PMC8762835 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
On the 26th of November 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the newly detected B.1.1.529 lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the Omicron Variant of Concern (VOC). The genome of the Omicron VOC contains more than 50 mutations, many of which have been associated with increased transmissibility, differing disease severity, and potential to evade immune responses developed for previous VOCs such as Alpha and Delta. In the days since the designation of B.1.1.529 as a VOC, infections with the lineage have been reported in countries around the globe and many countries have implemented travel restrictions and increased border controls in response. We putatively detected the Omicron variant in an aircraft wastewater sample from a flight arriving to Darwin, Australia from Johannesburg, South Africa on the 25th of November 2021 via positive results on the CDC N1, CDC N2, and del(69-70) RT-qPCR assays per guidance from the WHO. The Australian Northern Territory Health Department detected one passenger onboard the flight who was infected with SARS-CoV-2, which was determined to be the Omicron VOC by sequencing of a nasopharyngeal swab sample. Subsequent sequencing of the aircraft wastewater sample using the ARTIC V3 protocol with Nanopore and ATOPlex confirmed the presence of the Omicron variant with a consensus genome that clustered with the B.1.1.529 BA.1 sub-lineage. Our detection and confirmation of a single onboard Omicron infection via aircraft wastewater further bolsters the important role that aircraft wastewater can play as an independent and unintrusive surveillance point for infectious diseases, particularly coronavirus disease 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia.
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, 3255 Patrick F. Taylor Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Wendy J M Smith
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - Suzanne Metcalfe
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - Mikayla Stephens
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - Amy V Jennison
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Frederick A J Moore
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Jayden Bourke
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - Sanmarie Schlebusch
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Jamie McMahon
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Glen Hewitson
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Son Nguyen
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Jean Barcelon
- Public Health Microbiology and Virology, Queensland Public Health and Infectious Diseases Reference Genomics, Forensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Department of Health, Coopers Plains, QLD, Australia
| | - Greg Jackson
- Water Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, QLD, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - John Ehret
- Qantas Airways Limited, 10 Bourke Rd Mascot, 2020, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian Hosegood
- Qantas Airways Limited, 10 Bourke Rd Mascot, 2020, NSW, Australia
| | - Wei Tian
- MGI Australia Pty Ltd, 300 Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Haofei Wang
- MGI Australia Pty Ltd, 300 Herston Road, Herston, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Lin Yang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; MGI, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - Josh Tynan
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Tyson E Graber
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Ryan Ziels
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
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22
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Delgado Vela J, McClary-Gutierrez JS, Al-Faliti M, Allan V, Arts P, Barbero R, Bell C, D’Souza N, Bakker K, Kaya D, Gonzalez R, Harrison K, Kannoly S, Keenum I, Li L, Pecson B, Philo SE, Schneider R, Schussman MK, Shrestha A, Stadler LB, Wigginton KR, Boehm A, Halden RU, Bibby K. Impact of Disaster Research on the Development of Early Career Researchers: Lessons Learned from the Wastewater Monitoring Pandemic Response Efforts. Environ Sci Technol 2022; 56:4724-4727. [PMID: 35389620 PMCID: PMC9016772 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c01583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeseth Delgado Vela
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 20059 United States
| | - Jill S. McClary-Gutierrez
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 United States
| | - Mitham Al-Faliti
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 20059 United States
| | - Vajra Allan
- PATH, Seattle, Washington 98121 United States
| | - Peter Arts
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 United States
| | | | - Cristalyne Bell
- Department
of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53715 United States
| | - Nishita D’Souza
- Department
of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 United States
| | - Kevin Bakker
- Department
of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 United States
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School
of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331 United States
| | - Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton
Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23455 United States
| | - Katherine Harrison
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 United States
| | - Sherin Kannoly
- Queens
College, City University of New York, New York, New York 11367 United States
| | - Ishi Keenum
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 United States
| | - Lin Li
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557 United States
| | - Brian Pecson
- Trussell
Technologies, Pasadena, California 94612 United States
| | - Sarah E. Philo
- Department
of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 United States
| | | | - Melissa K. Schussman
- School
of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Wisconsin 53204 United States
| | - Abhilasha Shrestha
- Division
of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public
Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612 United States
| | - Lauren B. Stadler
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005 United States
| | - Krista R. Wigginton
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 United States
| | - Alexandria Boehm
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 United States
| | - Rolf U. Halden
- Biodesign
Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287 United States
- OneWaterOneHealth, Arizona State University
Foundation, Tempe, Arizona 85281 United
States
- AquaVitas, LLC, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556 United States
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23
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Greaves J, Fischer RJ, Shaffer M, Bivins A, Holbrook MG, Munster VJ, Bibby K. Sodium hypochlorite disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 spiked in water and municipal wastewater. Sci Total Environ 2022; 807:150766. [PMID: 34627890 PMCID: PMC8497957 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has the potential to be collected in wastewater from mucus, sputum, and feces of infected individuals, raising questions about the appropriate handling and treatment of the resulting wastewater. Current evidence indicates the likelihood of waterborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission is low; nonetheless, confirming the efficacy of disinfection against SARS-CoV-2 is prudent to ensure multiple barriers of protection for infectious SARS-CoV-2 that could be present in municipal and hospital wastewater. Sodium hypochlorite (free chlorine) is widely used for pathogen control in water disinfection applications. In the current study, we investigated the inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 in DI water and municipal wastewater primary influent by sodium hypochlorite (free chlorine) addition. Our results showed rapid disinfection of SARS-CoV-2, with less than 1 mg-min/L required for >3 log10 TCID50 reduction in DI water. More than 5 mg-min/L was required for 3 log10 TCID50 reduction in primary influent, suggesting potential shielding of the virus by suspended solids. These results are consistent with expected virus inactivation by free chlorine and suggest the adequacy of free chlorine disinfection for inactivation of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in water matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Greaves
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Robert J Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Marlee Shaffer
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Myndi G Holbrook
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Vincent J Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
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24
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Crank K, Chen W, Bivins A, Lowry S, Bibby K. Contribution of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding routes to RNA loads in wastewater. Sci Total Environ 2022; 806:150376. [PMID: 34610564 PMCID: PMC8443535 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
A portion of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 shed the virus and its genetic material in respiratory fluids, saliva, urine, and stool, thus giving the potential to monitor for infections via wastewater. Wastewater surveillance efforts to date have largely assumed that stool shedding has been the primary source of SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal; however, there are increasing questions about the possible contribution of other shedding routes, with implications for wastewater surveillance design and feasibility. In this study we used clinical SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding data and a Monte Carlo framework to assess the relative contribution of various shedding routes on SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads in wastewater. Stool shedding dominated total SARS-CoV-2 RNA load for community-level surveillance, with mean contributions more than two orders of magnitude greater than other shedding routes. However, RNA loads were more nuanced when considering building-level monitoring efforts designed to identify a single infected individual, where any shedding route could plausibly contribute a detectable signal. The greatest source of model variability was viral load in excreta, suggesting that future modeling efforts may be improved by incorporating specific modeling scenarios with precise SARS-CoV-2 shedding data, and beyond that wastewater surveillance must continue to account for large variability during data analysis and reporting. Importantly, the findings imply that wastewater surveillance at finer spatial scales is not entirely dependent on shedding via feces for sensitive detection of infections thus enlarging the potential use cases of wastewater as a non-intrusive surveillance methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Crank
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, South Bend, IN 46556, USA
| | - W Chen
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, South Bend, IN 46556, USA
| | - A Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, South Bend, IN 46556, USA
| | - S Lowry
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - K Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, South Bend, IN 46556, USA.
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25
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Ahmed W, Simpson SL, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Bivins A, Blackall LL, Bofill-Mas S, Bosch A, Brandão J, Choi PM, Ciesielski M, Donner E, D'Souza N, Farnleitner AH, Gerrity D, Gonzalez R, Griffith JF, Gyawali P, Haas CN, Hamilton KA, Hapuarachchi HC, Harwood VJ, Haque R, Jackson G, Khan SJ, Khan W, Kitajima M, Korajkic A, La Rosa G, Layton BA, Lipp E, McLellan SL, McMinn B, Medema G, Metcalfe S, Meijer WG, Mueller JF, Murphy H, Naughton CC, Noble RT, Payyappat S, Petterson S, Pitkänen T, Rajal VB, Reyneke B, Roman FA, Rose JB, Rusiñol M, Sadowsky MJ, Sala-Comorera L, Setoh YX, Sherchan SP, Sirikanchana K, Smith W, Steele JA, Sabburg R, Symonds EM, Thai P, Thomas KV, Tynan J, Toze S, Thompson J, Whiteley AS, Wong JCC, Sano D, Wuertz S, Xagoraraki I, Zhang Q, Zimmer-Faust AG, Shanks OC. Minimizing errors in RT-PCR detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA for wastewater surveillance. Sci Total Environ 2022. [PMID: 34818780 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202104.0481.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance for pathogens using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is an effective and resource-efficient tool for gathering community-level public health information, including the incidence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater can potentially provide an early warning signal of COVID-19 infections in a community. The capacity of the world's environmental microbiology and virology laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 RNA characterization in wastewater is increasing rapidly. However, there are no standardized protocols or harmonized quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance. This paper is a technical review of factors that can cause false-positive and false-negative errors in the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater, culminating in recommended strategies that can be implemented to identify and mitigate some of these errors. Recommendations include stringent QA/QC measures, representative sampling approaches, effective virus concentration and efficient RNA extraction, PCR inhibition assessment, inclusion of sample processing controls, and considerations for RT-PCR assay selection and data interpretation. Clear data interpretation guidelines (e.g., determination of positive and negative samples) are critical, particularly when the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is low. Corrective and confirmatory actions must be in place for inconclusive results or results diverging from current trends (e.g., initial onset or reemergence of COVID-19 in a community). It is also prudent to perform interlaboratory comparisons to ensure results' reliability and interpretability for prospective and retrospective analyses. The strategies that are recommended in this review aim to improve SARS-CoV-2 characterization and detection for wastewater surveillance applications. A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the efficacy of wastewater surveillance continues to be demonstrated during this global crisis. In the future, wastewater should also play an important role in the surveillance of a range of other communicable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | | | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sílvia Bofill-Mas
- Laboratory of Virus Contaminants of Water and Food, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Bosch
- Enteric Virus Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - João Brandão
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Phil M Choi
- Water Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, QLD, Australia; The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark Ciesielski
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, NC, United States
| | - Erica Donner
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, University Boulevard, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Nishita D'Souza
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Andreas H Farnleitner
- Institute of Chemical, Environmental & Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostic, 166/5/3, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria; Research Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr. Karl-Dorrek-Straβe 30, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Daniel Gerrity
- Southern Nevada Water Authority, P.O. Box 99954, Las Vegas, NV 89193, USA
| | - Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA
| | - John F Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua 5240, New Zealand
| | | | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - Valerie J Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Rehnuma Haque
- Environmental Interventions Unit, Icddr,b, 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Greg Jackson
- Water Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, QLD, Australia
| | - Stuart J Khan
- Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Wesaal Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Blythe A Layton
- Department of Research & Innovation, Clean Water Services, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - Erin Lipp
- Environmental Health Sciences Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sandra L McLellan
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Brian McMinn
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Gertjan Medema
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Metcalfe
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Wim G Meijer
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Heather Murphy
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Coleen C Naughton
- University of California Merced, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5200 N. Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Rachel T Noble
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, NC, United States
| | - Sudhi Payyappat
- Sydney Water, 1 Smith Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia
| | - Susan Petterson
- Water and Health Pty Ltd., 13 Lord St, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia; School of Medicine, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Expert Microbiology Unit, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014, Finland
| | - Veronica B Rajal
- Facultad de Ingeniería and Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química (INIQUI) - CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Salta, Av. Bolivia 5150, Salta, Argentina
| | - Brandon Reyneke
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Fernando A Roman
- University of California Merced, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5200 N. Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Joan B Rose
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Marta Rusiñol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment & Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael J Sadowsky
- Biotechnology Institute and Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Laura Sala-Comorera
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Yin Xiang Setoh
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Kwanrawee Sirikanchana
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, 54 Kampangpetch 6 Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Wendy Smith
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Joshua A Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Rosalie Sabburg
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Bioscience Precinct, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Phong Thai
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Josh Tynan
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Simon Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Janelle Thompson
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore; Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) Singapore 637551
| | | | | | - Daisuke Sano
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8597, Japan
| | - Stefan Wuertz
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) Singapore 637551; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798
| | - Irene Xagoraraki
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Qian Zhang
- Biotechnology Institute and Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | | | - Orin C Shanks
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
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26
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Ahmed W, Simpson SL, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Bivins A, Blackall LL, Bofill-Mas S, Bosch A, Brandão J, Choi PM, Ciesielski M, Donner E, D'Souza N, Farnleitner AH, Gerrity D, Gonzalez R, Griffith JF, Gyawali P, Haas CN, Hamilton KA, Hapuarachchi HC, Harwood VJ, Haque R, Jackson G, Khan SJ, Khan W, Kitajima M, Korajkic A, La Rosa G, Layton BA, Lipp E, McLellan SL, McMinn B, Medema G, Metcalfe S, Meijer WG, Mueller JF, Murphy H, Naughton CC, Noble RT, Payyappat S, Petterson S, Pitkänen T, Rajal VB, Reyneke B, Roman FA, Rose JB, Rusiñol M, Sadowsky MJ, Sala-Comorera L, Setoh YX, Sherchan SP, Sirikanchana K, Smith W, Steele JA, Sabburg R, Symonds EM, Thai P, Thomas KV, Tynan J, Toze S, Thompson J, Whiteley AS, Wong JCC, Sano D, Wuertz S, Xagoraraki I, Zhang Q, Zimmer-Faust AG, Shanks OC. Minimizing errors in RT-PCR detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA for wastewater surveillance. Sci Total Environ 2022; 805:149877. [PMID: 34818780 PMCID: PMC8386095 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance for pathogens using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is an effective and resource-efficient tool for gathering community-level public health information, including the incidence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Surveillance of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater can potentially provide an early warning signal of COVID-19 infections in a community. The capacity of the world's environmental microbiology and virology laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 RNA characterization in wastewater is increasing rapidly. However, there are no standardized protocols or harmonized quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance. This paper is a technical review of factors that can cause false-positive and false-negative errors in the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater, culminating in recommended strategies that can be implemented to identify and mitigate some of these errors. Recommendations include stringent QA/QC measures, representative sampling approaches, effective virus concentration and efficient RNA extraction, PCR inhibition assessment, inclusion of sample processing controls, and considerations for RT-PCR assay selection and data interpretation. Clear data interpretation guidelines (e.g., determination of positive and negative samples) are critical, particularly when the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is low. Corrective and confirmatory actions must be in place for inconclusive results or results diverging from current trends (e.g., initial onset or reemergence of COVID-19 in a community). It is also prudent to perform interlaboratory comparisons to ensure results' reliability and interpretability for prospective and retrospective analyses. The strategies that are recommended in this review aim to improve SARS-CoV-2 characterization and detection for wastewater surveillance applications. A silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the efficacy of wastewater surveillance continues to be demonstrated during this global crisis. In the future, wastewater should also play an important role in the surveillance of a range of other communicable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | | | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Linda L Blackall
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sílvia Bofill-Mas
- Laboratory of Virus Contaminants of Water and Food, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Bosch
- Enteric Virus Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - João Brandão
- Department of Environmental Health, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Phil M Choi
- Water Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, QLD, Australia; The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Mark Ciesielski
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, NC, United States
| | - Erica Donner
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, University Boulevard, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Nishita D'Souza
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Andreas H Farnleitner
- Institute of Chemical, Environmental & Bioscience Engineering, Research Group Environmental Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostic, 166/5/3, Technische Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria; Research Division Water Quality and Health, Department Pharmacology, Physiology and Microbiology, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dr. Karl-Dorrek-Straβe 30, 3500 Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Daniel Gerrity
- Southern Nevada Water Authority, P.O. Box 99954, Las Vegas, NV 89193, USA
| | - Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA
| | - John F Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua 5240, New Zealand
| | | | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - Valerie J Harwood
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Rehnuma Haque
- Environmental Interventions Unit, Icddr,b, 68 Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Greg Jackson
- Water Unit, Health Protection Branch, Prevention Division, Queensland Health, QLD, Australia
| | - Stuart J Khan
- Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Wesaal Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Blythe A Layton
- Department of Research & Innovation, Clean Water Services, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - Erin Lipp
- Environmental Health Sciences Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Sandra L McLellan
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Brian McMinn
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Gertjan Medema
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Metcalfe
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Wim G Meijer
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Heather Murphy
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Coleen C Naughton
- University of California Merced, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5200 N. Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Rachel T Noble
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, NC, United States
| | - Sudhi Payyappat
- Sydney Water, 1 Smith Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia
| | - Susan Petterson
- Water and Health Pty Ltd., 13 Lord St, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia; School of Medicine, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Tarja Pitkänen
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Expert Microbiology Unit, P.O. Box 95, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland; University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, P.O. Box 66, FI-00014, Finland
| | - Veronica B Rajal
- Facultad de Ingeniería and Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química (INIQUI) - CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Salta, Av. Bolivia 5150, Salta, Argentina
| | - Brandon Reyneke
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
| | - Fernando A Roman
- University of California Merced, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5200 N. Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Joan B Rose
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Marta Rusiñol
- Institute of Environmental Assessment & Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael J Sadowsky
- Biotechnology Institute and Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Laura Sala-Comorera
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Yin Xiang Setoh
- Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Kwanrawee Sirikanchana
- Research Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, 54 Kampangpetch 6 Road, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Wendy Smith
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Joshua A Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Rosalie Sabburg
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Bioscience Precinct, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Phong Thai
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Josh Tynan
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, QLD, Australia
| | - Simon Toze
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Janelle Thompson
- Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore; Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) Singapore 637551
| | | | | | - Daisuke Sano
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8597, Japan
| | - Stefan Wuertz
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) Singapore 637551; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798
| | - Irene Xagoraraki
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Qian Zhang
- Biotechnology Institute and Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | | | - Orin C Shanks
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
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Abstract
Since the start of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been interest in using wastewater monitoring as an approach for disease surveillance. A significant uncertainty that would improve the interpretation of wastewater monitoring data is the intensity and timing with which individuals shed RNA from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into wastewater. By combining wastewater and case surveillance data sets from a university campus during a period of heightened surveillance, we inferred that individual shedding of RNA into wastewater peaks on average 6 days (50% uncertainty interval (UI): 6-7; 95% UI: 4-8) following infection, and that wastewater measurements are highly overdispersed [negative binomial dispersion parameter, k = 0.39 (95% credible interval: 0.32-0.48)]. This limits the utility of wastewater surveillance as a leading indicator of secular trends in SARS-CoV-2 transmission during an epidemic, and implies that it could be most useful as an early warning of rising transmission in areas where transmission is low or clinical testing is delayed or of limited capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Cavany
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Devin North
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - T Alex Perkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
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28
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Cavany S, Bivins A, Wu Z, North D, Bibby K, Perkins TA. Inferring SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding into wastewater relative to the time of infection. Epidemiol Infect 2022; 150:e21. [PMID: 35068403 PMCID: PMC8795777 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268821002752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the start of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been interest in using wastewater monitoring as an approach for disease surveillance. A significant uncertainty that would improve the interpretation of wastewater monitoring data is the intensity and timing with which individuals shed RNA from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into wastewater. By combining wastewater and case surveillance data sets from a university campus during a period of heightened surveillance, we inferred that individual shedding of RNA into wastewater peaks on average 6 days (50% uncertainty interval (UI): 6-7; 95% UI: 4-8) following infection, and that wastewater measurements are highly overdispersed [negative binomial dispersion parameter, k = 0.39 (95% credible interval: 0.32-0.48)]. This limits the utility of wastewater surveillance as a leading indicator of secular trends in SARS-CoV-2 transmission during an epidemic, and implies that it could be most useful as an early warning of rising transmission in areas where transmission is low or clinical testing is delayed or of limited capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Cavany
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Devin North
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - T. Alex Perkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
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29
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Abstract
Since the start of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been interest in using wastewater monitoring as an approach for disease surveillance. A significant uncertainty that would improve the interpretation of wastewater monitoring data is the intensity and timing with which individuals shed RNA from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into wastewater. By combining wastewater and case surveillance data sets from a university campus during a period of heightened surveillance, we inferred that individual shedding of RNA into wastewater peaks on average 6 days (50% uncertainty interval (UI): 6-7; 95% UI: 4-8) following infection, and that wastewater measurements are highly overdispersed [negative binomial dispersion parameter, k = 0.39 (95% credible interval: 0.32-0.48)]. This limits the utility of wastewater surveillance as a leading indicator of secular trends in SARS-CoV-2 transmission during an epidemic, and implies that it could be most useful as an early warning of rising transmission in areas where transmission is low or clinical testing is delayed or of limited capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Cavany
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Devin North
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
| | - T Alex Perkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, USA
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30
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Nastasi N, Renninger N, Bope A, Cochran SJ, Greaves J, Haines SR, Balasubrahmaniam N, Stuart K, Panescu J, Bibby K, Hull NM, Dannemiller KC. Persistence of viable MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages on carpet and dust. Indoor Air 2022; 32:e12969. [PMID: 34882845 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Resuspension of dust from flooring is a major source of human exposure to microbial contaminants, but the persistence of viruses on dust and carpet and the contribution to human exposure are often unknown. The goal of this work is to determine viability of MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages on cut carpet, looped carpet, and house dust both over time and after cleaning. Bacteriophages were nebulized onto carpet or dust in artificial saliva. Viability was measured at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 24, and 48 h and after cleaning by vacuum, steam, hot water extraction, and disinfection. MS2 bacteriophages showed slower viability decay rates in dust (-0.11 hr-1 ), cut carpet (-0.20 hr-1 ), and looped carpet (-0.09 hr-1 ) compared to Phi6 (-3.36 hr-1 , -1.57 hr-1 , and -0.20 hr-1 , respectively). Viable viral concentrations were reduced to below the detection limit for steam and disinfection for both MS2 and Phi6 (p < 0.05), while vacuuming and hot water extraction showed no significant changes in concentration from uncleaned carpet (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages can remain viable in carpet and dust for several hours to days, and cleaning with heat and disinfectants may be more effective than standard vacuuming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Nastasi
- Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Nicole Renninger
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ashleigh Bope
- Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Samuel J Cochran
- Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Justin Greaves
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, College of Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Sarah R Haines
- Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Neeraja Balasubrahmaniam
- Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Katelyn Stuart
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jenny Panescu
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, College of Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States
| | - Natalie M Hull
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Sustainability Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Karen C Dannemiller
- Department of Civil, Environmental & Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Sustainability Institute, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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31
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Bivins A, Kaya D, Bibby K, Simpson SL, Bustin SA, Shanks OC, Ahmed W. Variability in RT-qPCR assay parameters indicates unreliable SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification for wastewater surveillance. Water Res 2021; 203:117516. [PMID: 34412018 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202106.0320.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, wastewater surveillance has become an important tool for monitoring the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within communities. In particular, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) has been used to generate large datasets aimed at detecting and quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Although RT-qPCR is rapid and sensitive, there is no standard method yet, there are no certified quantification standards, and experiments are conducted using different assays, reagents, instruments, and data analysis protocols. These variations can induce errors in quantitative data reports, thereby potentially misleading interpretations, and conclusions. We review the SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance literature focusing on variability of RT-qPCR data as revealed by inconsistent standard curves and associated parameters. We find that variation in these parameters and deviations from best practices, as described in the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines suggest a frequent lack of reproducibility and reliability in quantitative measurements of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School of Chemical, Biological, & Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | | | - Stephen A Bustin
- Medical Technology Research Center, Faculty of Health, Education and Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SQ, UK
| | - Orin C Shanks
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park 4102, QLD, Australia.
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32
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Bivins A, Kaya D, Bibby K, Simpson SL, Bustin SA, Shanks OC, Ahmed W. Variability in RT-qPCR assay parameters indicates unreliable SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification for wastewater surveillance. Water Res 2021; 203:117516. [PMID: 34412018 PMCID: PMC8341816 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, wastewater surveillance has become an important tool for monitoring the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within communities. In particular, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) has been used to generate large datasets aimed at detecting and quantifying SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Although RT-qPCR is rapid and sensitive, there is no standard method yet, there are no certified quantification standards, and experiments are conducted using different assays, reagents, instruments, and data analysis protocols. These variations can induce errors in quantitative data reports, thereby potentially misleading interpretations, and conclusions. We review the SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance literature focusing on variability of RT-qPCR data as revealed by inconsistent standard curves and associated parameters. We find that variation in these parameters and deviations from best practices, as described in the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines suggest a frequent lack of reproducibility and reliability in quantitative measurements of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School of Chemical, Biological, & Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | | | - Stephen A Bustin
- Medical Technology Research Center, Faculty of Health, Education and Social Care, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1SQ, UK
| | - Orin C Shanks
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park 4102, QLD, Australia.
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Bivins A, Bibby K. Wastewater Surveillance during Mass COVID-19 Vaccination on a College Campus. Environ Sci Technol Lett 2021; 8:792-798. [PMID: 37566372 PMCID: PMC8409144 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The suitability of wastewater monitoring following widespread vaccination against COVID-19 remains uncertain. SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were monitored in wastewater solids during a university mass vaccination campaign in which >90% of the 12280 students were fully vaccinated (Pfizer-BioNTech, BNT162b2). SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater solids correlated with the 7-day average of COVID-19 cases when lagged by 1-3 days (ρ = 0.51-0.55; p = 0.023-0.039). During and after the second vaccine dose, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in wastewater solids on 19 of 21 days (12 consecutive days of nondetection at the end of the semester), a significant decrease (p = 0.027) in positivity rate. A large influx of outside visitors (move out and commencement) led to an immediate increase in wastewater SARS-CoV-2 RNA positivity (seven detections over seven days). Wastewater solids offer a sensitive matrix for environmental surveillance of COVID-19 at the subsewershed level (50% probability of RNA detection with two cases) both during and after mass vaccination. Mass vaccination was coincident with decreased shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA into wastewater. This suggests the absence of a large population of shedding infections, symptomatic or not, following mass vaccination among a university campus population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556,
United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556,
United States
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McClary-Gutierrez JS, Mattioli MC, Marcenac P, Silverman AI, Boehm AB, Bibby K, Balliet M, de Los Reyes FL, Gerrity D, Griffith JF, Holden PA, Katehis D, Kester G, LaCross N, Lipp EK, Meiman J, Noble RT, Brossard D, McLellan SL. SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action. Emerg Infect Dis 2021. [PMID: 34424162 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202104.0167.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has garnered extensive public attention during the coronavirus disease pandemic as a proposed complement to existing disease surveillance systems. Over the past year, methods for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in untreated sewage have advanced, and concentrations in wastewater have been shown to correlate with trends in reported cases. Despite the promise of wastewater surveillance, for these measurements to translate into useful public health tools, bridging the communication and knowledge gaps between researchers and public health responders is needed. We describe the key uses, barriers, and applicability of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance for supporting public health decisions and actions, including establishing ethics consideration for monitoring. Although wastewater surveillance to assess community infections is not a new idea, the coronavirus disease pandemic might be the initiating event to make this emerging public health tool a sustainable nationwide surveillance system, provided that these barriers are addressed.
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35
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McClary-Gutierrez JS, Mattioli MC, Marcenac P, Silverman AI, Boehm AB, Bibby K, Balliet M, de Los Reyes FL, Gerrity D, Griffith JF, Holden PA, Katehis D, Kester G, LaCross N, Lipp EK, Meiman J, Noble RT, Brossard D, McLellan SL. SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:1-8. [PMID: 34424162 PMCID: PMC8386792 DOI: 10.3201/eid2709.210753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has garnered extensive public attention during the coronavirus disease pandemic as a proposed complement to existing disease surveillance systems. Over the past year, methods for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in untreated sewage have advanced, and concentrations in wastewater have been shown to correlate with trends in reported cases. Despite the promise of wastewater surveillance, for these measurements to translate into useful public health tools, bridging the communication and knowledge gaps between researchers and public health responders is needed. We describe the key uses, barriers, and applicability of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance for supporting public health decisions and actions, including establishing ethics consideration for monitoring. Although wastewater surveillance to assess community infections is not a new idea, the coronavirus disease pandemic might be the initiating event to make this emerging public health tool a sustainable nationwide surveillance system, provided that these barriers are addressed.
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36
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Bibby K, Bivins A, Wu Z, North D. Making waves: Plausible lead time for wastewater based epidemiology as an early warning system for COVID-19. Water Res 2021; 202:117438. [PMID: 34333296 PMCID: PMC8274973 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a useful tool in the fight to track and contain COVID-19 spread within communities. One of the motives behind COVID-19 WBE efforts is the potential for 'early warning' of either the onset of disease in a new setting or changes in trends in communities where disease is endemic. Many initial reports of the early warning potential of WBE have relied upon retrospective sample analysis, and delays in WBE analysis and reporting should be considered when evaluating the early warning potential of WBE that enable public health action. Our purpose in this manuscript is to establish a framework to critique the potential of WBE to serve as an early warning system, with special attention to the onset of viral shedding and the differential between results reporting for WBE and clinical testing. While many uncertainties remain regarding both COVID-19 clinical presentation and technical factors influencing WBE results, our analysis suggests at most a modest lead time interval ranging from six days for clinical testing to four days for WBE during community-level wastewater surveillance where clinical testing is accessible on-demand with a rapid time to results. This potential lead time for WBE subsequently increases in settings with limited clinical testing capacity or utilization. Care should be taken when reporting 'early detection' of COVID-19 disease trends via WBE to consider underlying causes (e.g., clinical testing lag or delayed result reporting) to avoid misrepresenting WBE potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Devin North
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Brisolara KF, Maal-Bared R, Sobsey MD, Reimers RS, Rubin A, Bastian RK, Gerba C, Smith JE, Bibby K, Kester G, Brown S. Assessing and managing SARS-CoV-2 occupational health risk to workers handling residuals and biosolids. Sci Total Environ 2021; 774:145732. [PMID: 33611008 PMCID: PMC7869681 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Current wastewater worker guidance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) aligns with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommendations and states that no additional specific protections against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infections, are recommended for employees involved in wastewater management operations with residuals, sludge, and biosolids at water resource recovery facilities. The USEPA guidance references a document from 2002 that summarizes practices required for protection of workers handling class B biosolids to minimize exposure to pathogens including viruses. While there is no documented evidence that residuals or biosolids of any treatment level contain infectious SARS-CoV-2 or are a source of transmission of this current pandemic strain of coronavirus, this review summarizes and examines whether the provided federal guidance is sufficient to protect workers in view of currently available data on SARS-CoV-2 persistence and transmission. No currently available epidemiological data establishes a direct link between wastewater sludge or biosolids and risk of infection from the SARS-CoV-2. Despite shedding of the RNA of the virus in feces, there is no evidence supporting the presence or transmission of infectious SARS-CoV-2 through the wastewater system or in biosolids. In addition, this review presents previous epidemiologic data related to other non-enveloped viruses. Overall, the risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2, or any pathogen, decreases with increasing treatment measures. As a result, the highest risk of exposure is related to spreading and handling untreated feces or stool, followed by untreated municipal sludge, the class B biosolids, while lowest risk is associated with spreading or handling Class A biosolids. This review reinforces federal recommendations and the importance of vigilance in applying occupational risk mitigation measures to protect public and occupational health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari Fitzmorris Brisolara
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, United States of America.
| | | | - Mark D Sobsey
- Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Robert S Reimers
- Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Environmental Solutions, Pinnacle Waste Solutions, LLC Richmond, TX, United States of America
| | - Albert Rubin
- North Carolina State University, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert K Bastian
- Retired - former USEPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Charles Gerba
- University of Arizona, Department of Environmental Science, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - James E Smith
- Retired - former USEPA, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
| | - Greg Kester
- California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Sacramento, CA, United States of America
| | - Sally Brown
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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38
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Maal-Bared R, Sobsey M, Bibby K, Sherchan SP, Fitzmorris KB, Munakata N, Gerba C, Schaefer S, Swift J, Gary L, Babatola A, Bastian R, Olabode L, Reimers R, Rubin A, Kester G, Casson L. Letter to the Editor regarding Mathavarajah et al. (2020) Pandemic danger to the deep: The risk of marine mammals contracting SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater. Sci Total Environ 2021; 773:144855. [PMID: 33423797 PMCID: PMC7833100 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Sobsey
- Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Kari Brisolara Fitzmorris
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Naoko Munakata
- Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Charles Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, United States of America
| | | | - Jay Swift
- Gray and Osborne, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Lee Gary
- LSU School of Public Health, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Akin Babatola
- Laboratory and Environmental Compliance Manager, City of Santa Cruz, San Francisco Bay Area, United States of America
| | - Robert Bastian
- Water Expert and 2016 WEF Fellow, United States of America
| | - Lola Olabode
- Water Research Foundation, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Robert Reimers
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Albert Rubin
- Dept of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, United States of America
| | - Greg Kester
- California Association of Sanitation Agencies, Sacramento, CA, United States of America
| | - Leonard Casson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, United States of America
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39
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Ahmed W, Bibby K, D'Aoust PM, Delatolla R, Gerba CP, Haas CN, Hamilton KA, Hewitt J, Julian TR, Kaya D, Monis P, Moulin L, Naughton C, Noble RT, Shrestha A, Tiwari A, Simpson SL, Wurtzer S, Bivins A. Differentiating between the possibility and probability of SARS-CoV-2 transmission associated with wastewater: empirical evidence is needed to substantiate risk. FEMS Microbes 2021; 2:xtab007. [PMID: 38626275 PMCID: PMC8135732 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtab007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Patrick M D'Aoust
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Delatolla
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Charles P Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science, Water and Energy Sustainable Technology Center, University of Arizona, 2959 W. Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
| | | | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and the Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Joanne Hewitt
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Timothy R Julian
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf CH-8600, Switzerland
| | - Devrim Kaya
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, 105 SW 26th St #116, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Paul Monis
- South Australian Water Corporation, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Laurent Moulin
- Eau de Paris R&D Laboratory. 33 Av. Jean Jaures 94200 Ivry/seine, France
| | - Colleen Naughton
- University of California Merced Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5200 N, Lake Rd. Merced, CA 95343, USA
| | - Rachel T Noble
- University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, NC, USA
| | - Abhilasha Shrestha
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ananda Tiwari
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Expert Microbiology Unit, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Sebastien Wurtzer
- Eau de Paris R&D Laboratory. 33 Av. Jean Jaures 94200 Ivry/seine, France
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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40
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Maal-Bared R, Brisolara K, Munakata N, Bibby K, Gerba C, Sobsey M, Schaefer S, Swift J, Gary L, Sherchan S, Babatola A, Bastian R, Olabode L, Reimers R, Rubin A. Implications of SARS-CoV-2 on current and future operation and management of wastewater systems. Water Environ Res 2021; 93:502-515. [PMID: 32866312 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While researchers have acknowledged the potential role of environmental scientists, engineers, and industrial hygienists during this pandemic, the role of the water utility professional is often overlooked. The wastewater sector is critical to public health protection and employs collection and treatment system workers who perform tasks with high potential for exposures to biological agents. While various technical guidances and reports have initially provided direction to the water sector, the rapidly growing body of research publications necessitates the constant review of these papers and data synthesis. This paper presents the latest findings and highlights their implications from a water and wastewater utility operation and management perspective. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Extrapolation from SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, as well as other surrogates, has helped predicting SARS-CoV-2 behavior and risk management. Data from treated wastewater effluent suggest that current processes are sufficient for SARS-CoV-2 control. Scientific evidence supports the possibility of fecal-oral transmission for SARS-CoV-2. Limited evidence supports the potential survival of infective SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces and in aerosols and the efficacy of control measures at reducing transmission. Protective practices and PPE can protect workers from SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens found in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kari Brisolara
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Naoko Munakata
- Supervising Engineer at the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | - Charles Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Mark Sobsey
- Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Lee Gary
- Tulane University and Instructor with the Basic Academy at the FEMA/Emergency Management Institute, Emmitsburg, MD, USA
| | - Samendra Sherchan
- Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Akin Babatola
- Laboratory and Environmental Compliance Manager, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Lola Olabode
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | | | - Albert Rubin
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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41
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Ahmed W, Tscharke B, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Bivins A, Choi P, Clarke L, Dwyer J, Edson J, Nguyen TMH, O'Brien JW, Simpson SL, Sherman P, Thomas KV, Verhagen R, Zaugg J, Mueller JF. SARS-CoV-2 RNA monitoring in wastewater as a potential early warning system for COVID-19 transmission in the community: A temporal case study. Sci Total Environ 2021; 761:144216. [PMID: 33360129 PMCID: PMC7718102 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus which causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has spread rapidly across the globe infecting millions of people and causing significant health and economic impacts. Authorities are exploring complimentary approaches to monitor this infectious disease at the community level. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approaches to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in municipal wastewater are being implemented worldwide as an environmental surveillance approach to inform health authority decision-making. Owing to the extended excretion of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool, WBE can surveil large populated areas with a longer detection window providing unique information on the presence of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic cases that are unlikely to be screened by clinical testing. Herein, we analysed SARS-CoV-2 RNA in 24-h composite wastewater samples (n = 63) from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 24th of February to 1st of May 2020. A total of 21 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2, ranging from 135 to 11,992 gene copies (GC)/100 mL of wastewater. Detections were made in a Southern Brisbane WWTP in late February 2020, up to three weeks before the first clininal case was reported there. Wastewater samples were generally positive during the period with highest caseload data. The positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater while there were limited clinical reported cases demonstrates the potential of WBE as an early warning system to identify hotspots and target localised public health responses, such as increased individual testing and the provision of health warnings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia.
| | - Ben Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Qld 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Phil Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Leah Clarke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Jason Dwyer
- Urban Utilities, 15 Green Square Close, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Janette Edson
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thi Minh Hong Nguyen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | | | - Paul Sherman
- Urban Utilities, 15 Green Square Close, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
| | - Julian Zaugg
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4103, Australia
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42
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Ahmed W, Bivins A, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Gyawali P, Sherchan SP, Simpson SL, Thomas KV, Verhagen R, Kitajima M, Mueller JF, Korajkic A. Intraday variability of indicator and pathogenic viruses in 1-h and 24-h composite wastewater samples: Implications for wastewater-based epidemiology. Environ Res 2021; 193:110531. [PMID: 33249042 PMCID: PMC8267967 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
We monitored the concentration of indicator viruses crAssphage and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) and human pathogen adenovirus (HAdV) in influent from a wastewater treatment plant in Brisbane, Australia in 1-h and 24-h composite samples. Over three days of sampling, the mean concentration of crAssphage gene copies (GC)/mL in 24-h composite samples did not differ significantly (p = 0.72-0.92), while for PMMoV GC/mL (p value range: 0.0002-0.0321) and HAdV GC/mL (p value range: 0.0028-0.0068) significant differences in concentrations were observed on one day of sampling compared to the other two. For all three viruses, the variation observed in 1-h composite samples was greater than the variation observed in 24-h composite samples. For crAssphage, in 54.1% of 1-h composite samples, the concentration was less than that observed in 24-h composite samples; whereas for PMMoV and HAdV the concentration was less in 79.2 and 70.9% of 1-h composite samples, respectively, compared to the relevant 24-h composite samples. Similarly, the concentration of crAssphage in 1-h compared to 24-h composite samples did not differ (p = 0.1082) while the concentrations of PMMoV (p < 0.0001) and HAdV (p < 0.0001) in 1-h composite samples were significantly different from 24-h composite samples. These results suggest that 24-h composite samples offer increased analytical sensitivity and decreased variability compared to 1-h composite samples when monitoring wastewater, especially for pathogenic viruses with low infection rates within a community. Thus, for wastewater-based epidemiology applications, 24-h composite samples are less likely to produce false negative results and erroneous public health information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | | | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4103, Australia
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4103, Australia
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0032, Japan
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4103, Australia
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
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McClary-Gutierrez JS, Aanderud ZT, Al-Faliti M, Duvallet C, Gonzalez R, Guzman J, Holm RH, Jahne MA, Kantor RS, Katsivelis P, Kuhn KG, Langan LM, Mansfeldt C, McLellan SL, Grijalva LMM, Murnane KS, Naughton CC, Packman AI, Paraskevopoulos S, Radniecki TS, Roman FA, Shrestha A, Stadler LB, Steele JA, Swalla BM, Vikesland P, Wartell B, Wilusz CJ, Wong JCC, Boehm AB, Halden RU, Bibby K, Vela JD. Standardizing data reporting in the research community to enhance the utility of open data for SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance. Environ Sci (Camb) 2021; 9:10.1039/d1ew00235j. [PMID: 34567579 PMCID: PMC8459677 DOI: 10.1039/d1ew00235j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater is being rapidly developed and adopted as a public health monitoring tool worldwide. With wastewater surveillance programs being implemented across many different scales and by many different stakeholders, it is critical that data collected and shared are accompanied by an appropriate minimal amount of metainformation to enable meaningful interpretation and use of this new information source and intercomparison across datasets. While some databases are being developed for specific surveillance programs locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, common globally-adopted data standards have not yet been established within the research community. Establishing such standards will require national and international consensus on what metainformation should accompany SARS-CoV-2 wastewater measurements. To establish a recommendation on minimum information to accompany reporting of SARS-CoV-2 occurrence in wastewater for the research community, the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Coordination Network on Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 hosted a workshop in February 2021 with participants from academia, government agencies, private companies, wastewater utilities, public health laboratories, and research institutes. This report presents the primary two outcomes of the workshop: (i) a recommendation on the set of minimum meta-information that is needed to confidently interpret wastewater SARS-CoV-2 data, and (ii) insights from workshop discussions on how to improve standardization of data reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill S McClary-Gutierrez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Zachary T Aanderud
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Mitham Al-Faliti
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA
| | - Joe Guzman
- Orange County Public Health Laboratory, Newport Beach, CA, USA
| | - Rochelle H Holm
- Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, 302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY, 40202, USA
| | | | - Rose S Kantor
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Katrin Gaardbo Kuhn
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Laura M Langan
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Cresten Mansfeldt
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Sandra L McLellan
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | | | - Kevin S Murnane
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health - Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health - Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA
- Louisiana Addiction Research Center, Louisiana State University Health - Shreveport, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Colleen C Naughton
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Aaron I Packman
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Tyler S Radniecki
- School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Fernando A Roman
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Abhilasha Shrestha
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lauren B Stadler
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joshua A Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | | | - Peter Vikesland
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Brian Wartell
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carol J Wilusz
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Alexandria B Boehm
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rolf U Halden
- Biodesign Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- OneWaterOneHealth, Arizona State University Foundation, Tempe, AZ, USA
- AquaVitas, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Jeseth Delgado Vela
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
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44
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Bivins A, Greaves J, Fischer R, Yinda KC, Ahmed W, Kitajima M, Munster VJ, Bibby K. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in Water and Wastewater. Environ Sci Technol Lett 2020; 7:937-942. [PMID: 37566354 PMCID: PMC7553037 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA is frequently detected in the feces of infected individuals. While infectious SARS-CoV-2 has not previously been identified in wastewater, infectious SARS-CoV-2 has been isolated from the feces of at least one patient, raising concerns about the presence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The fate and inactivation characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 in water and wastewater are unknown, with current inactivation estimates based on surrogate models. In this study, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and RNA signal was determined in water and wastewater. The times for 90% reduction (T90) of viable SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and tap water at room temperature were 1.5 and 1.7 days, respectively. In high-starting titer (105 TCID50 mL-1) experiments, infectious virus persisted for the entire 7-day sampling time course. In wastewater at 50 and 70 °C, the observed T90 values for infectious SARS-CoV-2 were decreased to 15 and 2 min, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found to be significantly more persistent than infectious SARS-CoV-2, indicating that the environmental detection of RNA alone does not substantiate risk of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
& Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Indiana 46556, United States
- Environmental Change Initiative,
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46566,
United States
| | - Justin Greaves
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
& Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Robert Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
(RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,
United States
| | - Kwe Claude Yinda
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
(RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,
United States
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water,
Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102,
Australia
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering,
Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo,
Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Vincent J. Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
(RML), National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840,
United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
& Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame,
Indiana 46556, United States
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45
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Greaves J, Stone D, Wu Z, Bibby K. Persistence of emerging viral fecal indicators in large-scale freshwater mesocosms. Water Res X 2020; 9:100067. [PMID: 32995735 PMCID: PMC7516186 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2020.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) are typically used to monitor microbial water quality but are poor representatives of viruses due to different environmental fate. Viral fecal indicators have been proposed as alternatives to FIB; however, data evaluating the persistence of emerging viral fecal indicators under realistic environmental conditions is necessary to evaluate their potential application. In this study, we examined the persistence of five viral fecal indicators, including crAssphage and pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), and three bacterial fecal indicators (E. coli, enterococci and HF183/BacR287) in large-scale experimental ponds and freshwater mesocosms. Observed inactivation rate constants were highly variable and ranged from a minimum of -0.09 d-1 for PMMoV to a maximum of -3.5 d-1 for HF183/BacR287 in uncovered mesocosms. Overall, viral fecal indicators had slower inactivation than bacterial fecal indicators and PMMoV was inactivated more slowly than all other targets. These results demonstrate that bacterial fecal indicators inadequately represent viral fate following aging of sewage contaminated water due to differential persistence, and that currently used fecal indicator monitoring targets demonstrate highly variable persistence that should be considered during water quality monitoring and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Greaves
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Daniel Stone
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
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46
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Ahmed W, Bertsch PM, Bibby K, Haramoto E, Hewitt J, Huygens F, Gyawali P, Korajkic A, Riddell S, Sherchan SP, Simpson SL, Sirikanchana K, Symonds EM, Verhagen R, Vasan SS, Kitajima M, Bivins A. Decay of SARS-CoV-2 and surrogate murine hepatitis virus RNA in untreated wastewater to inform application in wastewater-based epidemiology. Environ Res 2020; 191:110092. [PMID: 32861728 PMCID: PMC7451058 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) demonstrates potential for COVID-19 community transmission monitoring; however, data on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater are needed to interpret WBE results. The decay rates of RNA from SARS-CoV-2 and a potential surrogate, murine hepatitis virus (MHV), were investigated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in untreated wastewater, autoclaved wastewater, and dechlorinated tap water stored at 4, 15, 25, and 37 °C. Temperature, followed by matrix type, most greatly influenced SARS-CoV-2 RNA first-order decay rates (k). The average T90 (time required for 1-log10 reduction) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA ranged from 8.04 to 27.8 days in untreated wastewater, 5.71 to 43.2 days in autoclaved wastewater, and 9.40 to 58.6 days in tap water. The average T90 for RNA of MHV at 4 to 37 °C ranged from 7.44 to 56.6 days in untreated wastewater, 5.58-43.1 days in autoclaved wastewater, and 10.9 to 43.9 days in tap water. There was no statistically significant difference between RNA decay of SARS-CoV-2 and MHV; thus, MHV is suggested as a suitable persistence surrogate. Decay rate constants for all temperatures were comparable across all matrices for both viral RNAs, except in untreated wastewater for SARS-CoV-2, which showed less sensitivity to elevated temperatures. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 RNA is likely to persist long enough in untreated wastewater to permit reliable detection for WBE application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400 -8511, Japan
| | - Joanne Hewitt
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Flavia Huygens
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Queensland University of Technology, 300 Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR), Porirua, 5240, New Zealand
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Shane Riddell
- CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
| | - Samendra P Sherchan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | | | | | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Seshadri S Vasan
- CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia; Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0032, Japan
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
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47
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Kumar M, Thakur AK, Mazumder P, Kuroda K, Mohapatra S, Rinklebe J, Ramanathan A, Cetecioglu Z, Jain S, Tyagi VK, Gikas P, Chakraborty S, Tahmidul Islam M, Ahmad A, Shah AV, Patel AK, Watanabe T, Vithanage M, Bibby K, Kitajima M, Bhattacharya P. Frontier review on the propensity and repercussion of SARS-CoV-2 migration to aquatic environment. J Hazard Mater Lett 2020; 1:100001. [PMID: 34977840 PMCID: PMC7456799 DOI: 10.1016/j.hazl.2020.100001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Increased concern has recently emerged pertaining to the occurrence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in aquatic environment during the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While infectious SARS-CoV-2 has yet to be identified in the aquatic environment, the virus potentially enters the wastewater stream from patient excretions and a precautionary approach dictates evaluating transmission pathways to ensure public health and safety. Although enveloped viruses have presumed low persistence in water and are generally susceptible to inactivation by environmental stressors, previously identified enveloped viruses persist in the aqueous environment from days to several weeks. Our analysis suggests that not only the surface water, but also groundwater, represent SARS-CoV-2 control points through possible leaching and infiltrations of effluents from health care facilities, sewage, and drainage water. Most fecally transmitted viruses are highly persistent in the aquatic environment, and therefore, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in water is essential to inform its fate in water, wastewater and groundwater and subsequent human exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India
| | - Alok Kumar Thakur
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India
| | - Payal Mazumder
- Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India
| | - Keisuke Kuroda
- Department of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Toyama Prefectural University, Toyama 9390398, Japan
| | - Sanjeeb Mohapatra
- Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal 42285, Germany
- Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, University of Sejong, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Al Ramanathan
- School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Zeynep Cetecioglu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 42, SE100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sharad Jain
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Vinay Kumar Tyagi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India
| | - Petros Gikas
- School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania 73100, Greece
| | - Sudip Chakraborty
- Department of IngegneriaModellisticaElettronica&Sistemistica,University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Cubo 42/a, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy
| | - M Tahmidul Islam
- Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arslan Ahmad
- KWR Water Cycle Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University and Research (WUR), The Netherlands
| | - Anil V Shah
- Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Sector-10A, Gandhinagar 382010, Gujarat, India
| | - Arbind Kumar Patel
- Discipline of Earth Science, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382 355, India
| | - Toru Watanabe
- Department of Food, Life and Environmental Sciences, Yamagata University, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
| | - Meththika Vithanage
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
- Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
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48
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Gonzalez R, Curtis K, Bivins A, Bibby K, Weir MH, Yetka K, Thompson H, Keeling D, Mitchell J, Gonzalez D. COVID-19 surveillance in Southeastern Virginia using wastewater-based epidemiology. Water Res 2020; 186:116296. [PMID: 32841929 PMCID: PMC7424388 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 281] [Impact Index Per Article: 70.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used to analyze markers in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent to characterize emerging chemicals, drug use patterns, or disease spread within communities. This approach can be particularly helpful in understanding outbreaks of disease like the novel Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) when combined with clinical datasets. In this study, three RT-ddPCR assays (N1, N2, N3) were used to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in weekly samples from nine WWTPs in southeastern Virginia. In the first several weeks of sampling, SARS-CoV-2 detections were sporadic. Frequency of detections and overall concentrations of RNA within samples increased from mid March into late July. During the twenty-one week study, SARS-CoV-2 concentrations ranged from 101 to 104 copies 100 mL-1 in samples where viral RNA was detected. Fluctuations in population normalized loading rates in several of the WWTP service areas agreed with known outbreaks during the study. Here we propose several ways that data can be presented spatially and temporally to be of greatest use to public health officials. As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, it is likely that communities will see increased incidence of small, localized outbreaks. In these instances, WBE could be used as a pre-screening tool to better target clinical testing needs in communities with limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States.
| | - Kyle Curtis
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156, Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156, Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
| | - Mark H Weir
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University,1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH43210, United States
| | - Kathleen Yetka
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Hannah Thompson
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - David Keeling
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Jamie Mitchell
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
| | - Dana Gonzalez
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, United States
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49
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Ahmed W, Bertsch PM, Bivins A, Bibby K, Farkas K, Gathercole A, Haramoto E, Gyawali P, Korajkic A, McMinn BR, Mueller JF, Simpson SL, Smith WJM, Symonds EM, Thomas KV, Verhagen R, Kitajima M. Comparison of virus concentration methods for the RT-qPCR-based recovery of murine hepatitis virus, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 from untreated wastewater. Sci Total Environ 2020; 739:139960. [PMID: 32758945 PMCID: PMC7273154 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 335] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
There is currently a clear benefit for many countries to utilize wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as part of ongoing measures to manage the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Since most wastewater virus concentration methods were developed and validated for nonenveloped viruses, it is imperative to determine the efficiency of the most commonly used methods for the enveloped severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Municipal wastewater seeded with a human coronavirus (CoV) surrogate, murine hepatitis virus (MHV), was used to test the efficiency of seven wastewater virus concentration methods: (A-C) adsorption-extraction with three different pre-treatment options, (D-E) centrifugal filter device methods with two different devices, (F) polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000) precipitation, and (G) ultracentrifugation. MHV was quantified by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the recovery efficiency was calculated for each method. The mean MHV recoveries ranged from 26.7 to 65.7%. The most efficient methods were adsorption-extraction methods with MgCl2 pre-treatment (Method C), and without pre-treatment (Method B). The third most efficient method used the Amicon® Ultra-15 centrifugal filter device (Method D) and its recovery efficiency was not statistically different from the most efficient methods. The methods with the worst recovery efficiency included the adsorption-extraction method with acidification (A), followed by PEG precipitation (F). Our results suggest that absorption-extraction methods with minimal or without pre-treatment can provide suitably rapid, cost-effective and relatively straightforward recovery of enveloped viruses in wastewater. The MHV is a promising process control for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance and can be used as a quality control measure to support community-level epidemic mitigation and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Paul M Bertsch
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Aaron Bivins
- Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, 721 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, 721 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Kata Farkas
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Amy Gathercole
- ComPath, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4 - 3 -11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Pradip Gyawali
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd. (ESR), Porirua 5240, New Zealand
| | - Asja Korajkic
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Brian R McMinn
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, 26W Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | | | - Wendy J M Smith
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
| | - Erin M Symonds
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Rory Verhagen
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0032, Japan
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Kitajima M, Ahmed W, Bibby K, Carducci A, Gerba CP, Hamilton KA, Haramoto E, Rose JB. SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: State of the knowledge and research needs. Sci Total Environ 2020; 739:139076. [PMID: 32758929 PMCID: PMC7191289 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 466] [Impact Index Per Article: 116.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, which was officially declared by the World Health Organization. SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the family Coronaviridae that consists of a group of enveloped viruses with single-stranded RNA genome, which cause diseases ranging from common colds to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although the major transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 are inhalation of aerosol/droplet and person-to-person contact, currently available evidence indicates that the viral RNA is present in wastewater, suggesting the need to better understand wastewater as potential sources of epidemiological data and human health risks. Here, we review the current knowledge related to the potential of wastewater surveillance to understand the epidemiology of COVID-19, methodologies for the detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, and information relevant for human health risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2. There has been growing evidence of gastrointestinal symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections and the presence of viral RNA not only in feces of infected individuals but also in wastewater. One of the major challenges in SARS-CoV-2 detection/quantification in wastewater samples is the lack of an optimized and standardized protocol. Currently available data are also limited for conducting a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for SARS-CoV-2 exposure pathways. However, modeling-based approaches have a potential role to play in reducing the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, QMRA parameters obtained from previous studies on relevant respiratory viruses help to inform risk assessments of SARS-CoV-2. Our understanding on the potential role of wastewater in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is largely limited by knowledge gaps in its occurrence, persistence, and removal in wastewater. There is an urgent need for further research to establish methodologies for wastewater surveillance and understand the implications of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Kitajima
- Division of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13 West 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan.
| | - Warish Ahmed
- CSIRO Land and Water, Ecosciences Precinct, 41 Boggo Road, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 156 Fitzpatrick Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Annalaura Carducci
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via S. Zeno, 35-39, I-56123 Pisa, Italy
| | - Charles P Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science and Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center, The University of Arizona, 2959 W Calle Agua Nueva, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment and The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Eiji Haramoto
- Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
| | - Joan B Rose
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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