Implementing building-level SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance on a university campus

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 782, P. 146749 - 146749

Published: March 30, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of ongoing challenges and presents an increased risk illness in group environments, including jails, long-term care facilities, schools, residential college campuses. Early reports that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was detectable wastewater advance confirmed cases sparked widespread interest wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as tool for mitigation outbreaks. One hypothesis surveillance might provide cost-effective alternative to other more expensive approaches such pooled random testing groups. In this paper, we report outcomes pilot program at University North Carolina Charlotte, large urban university with substantial population students living on-campus dormitories. Surveillance conducted building level on thrice-weekly schedule throughout university's fall semester. multiple cases, enabled identification asymptomatic were not detected by components campus monitoring program, which also included in-house contact tracing, symptomatic testing, scheduled student athletes, daily symptom reporting. context all cluster events reported community during semester, resulted smaller clusters than types events. Wastewater able detect single individuals dorms resident populations 150-200. While strategy described developed COVID-19, it is likely be applicable future pandemics universities group-living environments.

Language: Английский

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Minimizing errors in RT-PCR detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA for wastewater surveillance

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 805, P. 149877 - 149877

Published: Aug. 25, 2021

Wastewater surveillance for pathogens using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is an effective and resource-efficient tool gathering community-level public health information, including the incidence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Surveillance Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater can potentially provide early warning signal COVID-19 infections a community. The capacity world's environmental microbiology virology laboratories SARS-CoV-2 RNA characterization increasing rapidly. However, there are no standardized protocols or harmonized quality assurance control (QA/QC) procedures surveillance. This paper technical review factors that cause false-positive false-negative errors wastewater, culminating recommended strategies be implemented to identify mitigate some these errors. Recommendations include stringent QA/QC measures, representative sampling approaches, virus concentration efficient extraction, PCR inhibition assessment, inclusion sample processing controls, considerations RT-PCR assay selection data interpretation. Clear interpretation guidelines (e.g., determination positive negative samples) critical, particularly when low. Corrective confirmatory actions must place inconclusive results diverging from current trends initial onset reemergence community). It also prudent perform interlaboratory comparisons ensure results' reliability interpretability prospective retrospective analyses. this aim improve detection applications. A silver lining pandemic efficacy continues demonstrated during global crisis. In future, should play important role range other communicable diseases.

Language: Английский

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Rapid, Large-Scale Wastewater Surveillance and Automated Reporting System Enable Early Detection of Nearly 85% of COVID-19 Cases on a University Campus

mSystems, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 6(4)

Published: Aug. 10, 2021

Wastewater-based surveillance has gained prominence and come to the forefront as a leading indicator of forecasting COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) infection dynamics owing its cost-effectiveness ability inform early public health interventions. A university campus could especially benefit from wastewater surveillance, universities are characterized by largely asymptomatic populations potential hot spots for transmission that necessitate frequent diagnostic testing. In this study, we employed large-scale GIS (geographic information systems)-enabled building-level monitoring system associated with on-campus residences 7,614 individuals. Sixty-eight automated samplers were deployed monitor 239 buildings focus on residential buildings. Time-weighted composite samples collected daily basis analyzed same day. Sample processing was streamlined significantly through automation, reducing turnaround time 20-fold exceeding scale similar programs 10- 100-fold, thereby overcoming one biggest bottlenecks in surveillance. An notification developed alert residents positive sample their residence encourage uptake campus-provided testing at no charge. This system, integrated rest "Return Learn" program University California (UC) San Diego-led diagnosis nearly 85% all cases campus. rates increased 1.9 13× following notifications. Our study shows robust, efficient greatly reduce risk college campuses other high-risk environments reopen. IMPORTANCE epidemiology can be particularly valuable where high-resolution spatial sampling well-controlled context not only provide insight into what affects community well how those inferences extended broader city/county context. present successfully implemented large enabling detection averting outbreaks. The highly reporting enabled dramatic reduction 5 h (sample result time) 96 samples. Furthermore, miniaturization pipeline brought down cost ($13/sample). Taken together, these results show such ameliorate long-term communities they look

Language: Английский

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Making waves: Defining the lead time of wastewater-based epidemiology for COVID-19

Water Research, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 202, P. 117433 - 117433

Published: July 15, 2021

Individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, may shed in stool before developing symptoms, suggesting measurements of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations wastewater could be a "leading indicator" COVID-19 prevalence. Multiple studies have corroborated leading indicator concept by showing correlation between and case counts is maximized when are lagged. However, meaning will depend on specific application wastewater-based epidemiology, analysis not relevant for all applications. In fact, quantification epidemiological, biological, health systems factors. Thus, there no single "lead time" monitoring. To illustrate this complexity, we enumerate three different applications epidemiology COVID-19: qualitative "early warning" system; an independent, quantitative estimate disease prevalence; alert bursts incidence. The has definitions utility each application.

Language: Английский

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SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action

Emerging infectious diseases, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 27(9), P. 1 - 8

Published: Aug. 19, 2021

Abstract Wastewater surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has garnered extensive public attention during the disease pandemic as a proposed complement to existing systems. Over past year, methods detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in untreated sewage have advanced, concentrations wastewater been shown correlate with trends reported cases. Despite promise surveillance, these measurements translate into useful health tools, bridging communication knowledge gaps between researchers responders is needed. We describe key uses, barriers, applicability supporting decisions actions, including establishing ethics consideration monitoring. Although assess community infections not new idea, might be initiating event make this emerging tool sustainable nationwide system, provided that barriers are addressed.

Language: Английский

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Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Disease: A Systematic Review

American Journal of Epidemiology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 192(2), P. 305 - 322

Published: Oct. 13, 2022

Abstract Wastewater surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been shown to be a valuable source of information regarding SARS-CoV-2 transmission and disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Although the method used several decades track other infectious diseases, there not comprehensive review outlining all pathogens that have surveilled through wastewater. Herein we identify diseases previously studied via wastewater prior COVID-19 pandemic. Infectious were identified in 100 studies across 38 countries, as themes how measures linked. Twenty-five separate pathogen families included studies, with majority examining from family Picornaviridae, including polio nonpolio enteroviruses. Most did link what was found transmission. Among those did, value reported varied by study. should considered potential public health tool many diseases. can improved incorporating at population-level incidence hospitalizations.

Language: Английский

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Metrics to relate COVID-19 wastewater data to clinical testing dynamics

Water Research, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 212, P. 118070 - 118070

Published: Jan. 14, 2022

Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a useful tool in the public health response to COVID-19 pandemic. While wastewater been applied at various scales monitor population-level dynamics, there is need for quantitative metrics interpret data context of trends. 24-hour composite samples were collected from March 2020 through May 2021 Massachusetts treatment plant and SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations measured using RT-qPCR. The relationship between copy numbers gene fragments clinical cases deaths varies over time. We demonstrate utility three new changes epidemiology: (1) ratio (WC ratio), (2) time lag reporting, (3) transfer function case curves. WC increases after key events, providing insight into balance disease spread response. Time analysis showed that preceded clinically reported first wave pandemic but did not serve leading indicator second wave, likely due increased testing capacity, which allows more timely detection reporting. These could help further integrate future pandemics.

Language: Английский

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Nationwide Trends in COVID-19 Cases and SARS-CoV-2 RNA Wastewater Concentrations in the United States

ACS ES&T Water, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 2(11), P. 1899 - 1909

Published: May 3, 2022

Wastewater-based epidemiology has emerged as a promising technology for population-level surveillance of COVID-19. In this study, we present results large nationwide SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring system in the United States. We profile 55 locations with at least six months sampling from April 2020 to May 2021. These represent more than 12 million individuals across 19 states. Samples were collected approximately weekly by treatment utilities part regular service and analyzed RNA concentrations. concentrations normalized pepper mild mottle virus, an indicator fecal matter wastewater. show that data reflect temporal geographic trends clinical COVID-19 cases investigate impact normalization on correlations case within locations. also provide key lessons learned our broad-scale implementation wastewater-based epidemiology, which can be used inform approaches future emerging diseases. This work demonstrates is feasible approach disease. With evolving epidemic effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, serve passive detecting changing dynamics or resurgences virus.

Language: Английский

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Early warning of a COVID-19 surge on a university campus based on wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 at residence halls

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 821, P. 153291 - 153291

Published: Jan. 25, 2022

As COVID-19 continues to spread globally, monitoring the disease at different scales is critical support public health decision making. Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater can supplement surveillance based on diagnostic testing. In this paper, we report results of wastewater-based Emory University campus that included routine sampling sewage from a hospital building, an isolation/quarantine and 21 student residence halls between July 13th, 2020 March 14th, 2021. We examined sensitivity detecting cases building level relation Ct values RT-qPCR samples number patients residing building. Our show weekly using Moore swab was not sensitive enough (6 63 times) reliably detect one or two sporadic The over time same location reflected temporal trend (Pearson's r < −0.8), but there too much uncertainty directly estimate values. After students returned spring 2021 semester, detected most hall sites weeks before surged campus. This finding suggests be used provide early warning outbreaks institutions.

Language: Английский

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Contribution of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding routes to RNA loads in wastewater

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 806, P. 150376 - 150376

Published: Sept. 16, 2021

Language: Английский

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