TY - JOUR
T1 - Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Dormitories as a Part of Comprehensive University Campus COVID-19 Monitoring
AU - Lu, Emily
AU - Ai, Yuehan
AU - Davis, Angela
AU - Straathof, Judith
AU - Halloran, Kent
AU - Hull, Natalie
AU - Winston, Ryan
AU - Weir, Mark H.
AU - Soller, Jeffrey
AU - Bohrerova, Zuzana
AU - Oglesbee, Michael
AU - Lee, Jiyoung
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Wastewater-based epidemiology is an effective tool for monitoring infectious disease spread or illicit drug use within communities. At the Ohio State University, we conducted a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program in the 2020–2021 academic year and compared results with the university-required weekly COVID-19 saliva testing to monitor COVID-19 infection prevalence in the on-campus residential communities. The objectives of the study were to rapidly track trends in the wastewater SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations, analyze the relationship between case numbers and wastewater signals when adjusted using human fecal viral indicator concentrations (PMMoV, crAssphage) in wastewater, and investigate the relationship of the SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations with wastewater parameters. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and envelope (N1, N2, and E) gene concentrations, determined with reverse transcription droplet digital PCR, were used to track SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in dormitory wastewater once a week at 6 sampling sites across the campus during the fall semester in 2020. During the following spring semester, research was focused on SARS-CoV2 N2 gene concentrations at 5 sites sampled twice a week. Spearman correlations both with and without adjusting using human fecal viral indicators showed a significant correlation ( p < 0.05) between human COVID-19 positive case counts and wastewater SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations. Spearman correlations showed significant relationships between N1 gene concentrations and both TSS and turbidity, and between E gene concentrations and both pH and turbidity. These results suggest that wastewater signal increases with the census of infected individuals, in which the majority are asymptomatic, with a statistically significant ( p-value < 0.05) temporal correlation. The study design can be utilized as a platform for rapid trend tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants and other diseases circulating in various communities.
AB - Wastewater-based epidemiology is an effective tool for monitoring infectious disease spread or illicit drug use within communities. At the Ohio State University, we conducted a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program in the 2020–2021 academic year and compared results with the university-required weekly COVID-19 saliva testing to monitor COVID-19 infection prevalence in the on-campus residential communities. The objectives of the study were to rapidly track trends in the wastewater SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations, analyze the relationship between case numbers and wastewater signals when adjusted using human fecal viral indicator concentrations (PMMoV, crAssphage) in wastewater, and investigate the relationship of the SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations with wastewater parameters. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and envelope (N1, N2, and E) gene concentrations, determined with reverse transcription droplet digital PCR, were used to track SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in dormitory wastewater once a week at 6 sampling sites across the campus during the fall semester in 2020. During the following spring semester, research was focused on SARS-CoV2 N2 gene concentrations at 5 sites sampled twice a week. Spearman correlations both with and without adjusting using human fecal viral indicators showed a significant correlation ( p < 0.05) between human COVID-19 positive case counts and wastewater SARS-CoV-2 gene concentrations. Spearman correlations showed significant relationships between N1 gene concentrations and both TSS and turbidity, and between E gene concentrations and both pH and turbidity. These results suggest that wastewater signal increases with the census of infected individuals, in which the majority are asymptomatic, with a statistically significant ( p-value < 0.05) temporal correlation. The study design can be utilized as a platform for rapid trend tracking of SARS-CoV-2 variants and other diseases circulating in various communities.
KW - PMMoV
KW - ccAssphage
KW - fecal mass correction
KW - total suspended solids
KW - viral shedding
KW - wastewater-based surveillance
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113580
U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113580
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113580
M3 - Article
C2 - 35671797
VL - 212
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
IS - Part E
ER -