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. 2021 Mar 1:191:116810.
doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116810. Epub 2021 Jan 5.

Wastewater-based epidemiology as a useful tool to track SARS-CoV-2 and support public health policies at municipal level in Brazil

Affiliations

Wastewater-based epidemiology as a useful tool to track SARS-CoV-2 and support public health policies at municipal level in Brazil

Tatiana Prado et al. Water Res. .

Abstract

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been applied as a complementary approach for spatial tracking of coronavirus disease 2019 cases (COVID-19) as well as early warning of the occurrence of infected populations. The present study presents the result of the monitoring of sanitary sewerage in the municipality of Niterói, a metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and its use as a complementary indicator in the surveillance of COVID-19 cases, thus assisting actions of public health from local authorities. Twelve composite raw sewage samples were weekly collected from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and alternately from 17 sewer pipes (SP) from surrounding neighbourhoods and slums throughout 20 weeks (April 15th to August 25th, 2020). Two hundred twenty-three samples were concentrated using the ultracentrifugation-based method and SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected and quantified by RT-qPCR using primers and probe targeting the N2 genome. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 84.3% (188/223) of samples with a positive rate ranging from 42% (5/12) in the first week of monitoring to 100% during the peak of epidemic with viral concentration ranging from 3.1 to 7.1 log10 genome copies /100 mL throughout the studied period. Positive rates were higher in WWTPs when compared to SP, being useful tool for monitoring trends in the evolution of the COVID-19 curve, while SP data were more effective when health public interventions were needed. Whole-genome sequencing using Illumina MiSeq System confirmed the lineage of three genomes as B.1.1.33 (clade G) containing the nucleotide substitutions observed in strains that circulate in the Rio de Janeiro during the period of this study. In addition, geoprocessing tool was used to build heat maps based on SARS-CoV-2 data from sewage samples, which were weekly updated and available online to the general population as an indicator of the ongoing epidemic situation in Niterói city, raising public awareness.

Keywords: COVID-19; Public health policies; SARS-CoV-2; Wastewater-based epidemiology; Whole-genome sequencing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interest or conflict of interest related to this work.

Figures

Image, graphical abstract
Graphical abstract
Fig 1
Fig. 1
(A). Location of Niterói on maps of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro State, indicating range of demographic density. (1B). Sampling points distributed in Niterói municipality–location map.
Fig 1
Fig. 1
(A). Location of Niterói on maps of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro State, indicating range of demographic density. (1B). Sampling points distributed in Niterói municipality–location map.
Fig 2
Fig 2
(A). Box Plot of viral concentrations obtained per collection point in each sampling date in Niterói municipality (April–August, 2020). (B) COVID-19 weekly confirmed cases and deaths versus median viral concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 present in wastewaters from Niterói.
Fig 3
Fig. 3
Heat maps showing SARS-CoV-2 spread (log10 RNA titers/100 mL) in different regions (hotspots areas) of Niterói municipality over the epidemic period.
Fig 4
Fig. 4
SARS-CoV-2 spread in different areas of Niterói according to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and sewer points (SP) from neighbourhoods and slums. HDI: Human Development Index; Squares in white: without sample collection; Number of COVID-19 cases were provided by Health Secretariat.

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