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. 2024 Mar 25:2024:9975781.
doi: 10.1155/2024/9975781. eCollection 2024.

First Molecular Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage and Wastewater in Ghana

Ewurabena Oduma Duker  1 , Evangeline Obodai  1 , Seth Offei Addo  2 , Lorreta Kwasah  1 , Edna Serwah Mensah  1 , Emmanuel Gberbi  1 , Abraham Anane  1 , Keren O Attiku  1 , Jessica Boakye  1 , Gayheart Deladem Agbotse  1 , Angelina Evelyn Dickson  1 , Joseph Ahia Quarcoo  1 , Patience Akosua Darko  1 , Yaw Awuku Larbi  1 , Nana Afia Asante Ntim  1 , Bartholomew Dzudzor  3 , John Kofi Odoom  1
Affiliations

First Molecular Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage and Wastewater in Ghana

Ewurabena Oduma Duker et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected in sewage and wastewater contaminated with infected stool. This study is aimed at detecting the virus and its potential survival in sewage and wastewater in Ghana. The cross-sectional study included samples from 16 validated environmental surveillance sites in 7 regions of Ghana. A total of 354 samples composed of wastewater (280) and sewage (74) were collected from November 2020 to November 2022. Overall, 17% of the samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR, with 6% in sewage and 11% in wastewater. The highest number of positive samples was collected from the Greater Accra Region (7.3%) with the least recorded in the Bono East Region (0.6%). Further characterization of the positive samples using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach yielded two variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (AY.36). Attempts to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in the Vero cell line were not successful probably due to the low viral load concentrations (Ct values > 35) or prolonged exposure to high temperatures rendering the virus noninfectious. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage and wastewater may not be infectious, but the prevalence shows that the virus persists in the communities within Ghana.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SARS-CoV-2 in sewage and wastewater in Ghana, 2020-2022. Solid blue bars show the number of sewage and wastewater samples (n = 354); the red line shows the percentage of samples positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants from sewage and wastewater in Ghana, 2020-2022. The sequences identified in this study are highlighted.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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