Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 airport surveillance: key trends at the Cape Town International Airport

doi:10.2166/wh.2023.281

. 2023 Mar;21(3):402-408.

doi: 10.2166/wh.2023.281.

Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 airport surveillance: key trends at the Cape Town International Airport

Sizwe Nkambule¹, Rabia Johnson², Angela Mathee³, Nomfundo Mahlangeni¹, Candice Webster¹, Suranie Horn⁴, Noluxabiso Mangwana⁵, Stephanie Dias⁶, Jyoti Rajan Sharma⁶, Pritika Ramharack⁷, Johan Louw⁸, Tarylee Reddy⁹, Swastika Surujlal-Naicker¹⁰, Mongezi Mdhluli¹¹, Glenda Gray¹², Christo Muller¹³, Renee Street¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za.
² Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
³ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za; Environmental Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁴ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za; Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
⁵ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
⁶ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa.
⁷ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, South Africa.
⁸ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa.
⁹ Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa.
¹⁰ Scientific Services, Water and Sanitation Department, City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
¹¹ Chief Research Operations Office, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7050, South Africa.
¹² Office of the President, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7050, South Africa.
¹³ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa.
¹⁴ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za; Environmental Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PMID: 37338319
DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.281

Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 airport surveillance: key trends at the Cape Town International Airport

Sizwe Nkambule et al. J Water Health. 2023 Mar.

. 2023 Mar;21(3):402-408.

doi: 10.2166/wh.2023.281.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za.
² Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
³ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za; Environmental Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁴ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za; Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
⁵ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
⁶ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa.
⁷ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, South Africa.
⁸ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa.
⁹ Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa.
¹⁰ Scientific Services, Water and Sanitation Department, City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
¹¹ Chief Research Operations Office, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7050, South Africa.
¹² Office of the President, South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg 7050, South Africa.
¹³ Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa.
¹⁴ Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa E-mail: sizwe.nkambule@mrc.ac.za; Environmental Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PMID: 37338319
DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.281

Abstract

Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater has revealed the role of mobility in the transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and the surveillance of airport wastewater in cities across the world has demonstrated how travel entry points can give an indication of trends in transmission. This study undertook wastewater surveillance at the Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) to assess the use of a WBE approach to provide supplementary information on the presence of COVID-19 at a key air travel entry point in South Africa. Grab wastewater samples (n = 55) were collected from the CTIA wastewater pump station and analysed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) method. The study found a correlation between the wastewater data and clinical cases reported in the City of Cape Town during various time periods and during the peak of a COVID-19 wave. Highly elevated viral loads in the wastewater were observed at times there was increased mobility through the airport. The study also revealed elevated viral load levels at the airport despite the stricter restrictions and through the lower restrictions. The study findings indicate wastewater surveillance and airports can provide supplementary information to airport authorities to assess the impacts of imposed travel restrictions.

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Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 airport surveillance: key trends at the Cape Town International Airport

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Wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 airport surveillance: key trends at the Cape Town International Airport

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