Longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 RNA wastewater monitoring across a range of scales correlates with total and regional COVID-19 burden in a well-defined urban population. (15th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Acosta, Nicole; Bautista, María A.; Waddell, Barbara J.; McCalder, Janine; Beaudet, Alexander Buchner; Man, Lawrence; Pradhan, Puja; Sedaghat, Navid; Papparis, Chloe; Bacanu, Andra; Hollman, Jordan; Krusina, Alexander; Southern, Danielle A.; Williamson, Tyler; Li, Carmen; Bhatnagar, Srijak; Murphy, Sean; Chen, Jianwei; Kuzma, Darina; Clark, Rhonda; Meddings, Jon; Hu, Jia; Cabaj, Jason L.; Conly, John M.; Dai, Xiaotian; Lu, Xuewen; Chekouo, Thierry; Ruecker, Norma J.; Achari, Gopal; Ryan, M. Cathryn; Frankowski, Kevin; Hubert, Casey R.J.; Parkins, Michael D.;
• Is Part Of: Water research. Volume 220(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07-15
• Subjects: Wastewater-based epidemiology -- RT-qPCR -- Epidemiological monitoring -- COVID-19 -- Census data -- Neighborhoods; BCoV Bovine coronavirus -- Cq quantification cycle -- NTC no-template control -- PMMoV Pepper mild mottle virus -- SARS-CoV-2 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 -- SES Socioeconomic status -- VOC variants of concern -- WBE wastewater-based epidemiology -- WWTP wastewater treatment plant; Water -- Pollution -- Research -- Periodicals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1354

Abstract

Highlights: Flow rates were used to normalize SARS-CoV-2 RNA wastewater concentrations. Flow-adjustment allowed the amalgamation of data into a single city-wide metric. Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 correlated with postal code-linked cases across a range of scales. Correlations with postal code-linked cases were greatest at city>WWTP>neighborhood. Neighborhoods of lower SES determined through census had higher wastewater SARS-CoV-2. Abstract: Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an emerging surveillance tool that has been used to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by tracking SARS-CoV-2 RNA shed into wastewater. WBE was performed to monitor the occurrence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and six neighborhoods in the city of Calgary, Canada (population 1.44 million). A total of 222 WWTP and 192 neighborhood samples were collected from June 2020 to May 2021, encompassing the end of the first-wave (June 2020), the second-wave (November end to December 2020) and the third-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (mid-April to May 2021). Flow-weighted 24-hour composite samples were processed to extract RNA that was then analyzed for two SARS-CoV-2-specific regions of the nucleocapsid gene, N1 and N2, using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Using this approach SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 98.06% (406/414) of wastewater samples. SARS-CoV-2 RNA abundance was compared to clinically diagnosed COVID-19 cases organized by the three-digit postal code of affected individuals' primary residences, enabling correlation analysis at neighborhood, WWTP and city-wide scales. Strong correlations were observed between N1 & N2 gene signals in wastewater and new daily cases for WWTPs and neighborhoods. Similarly, when flow rates at Calgary's three WWTPs were used to normalize observed concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and combine them into a city-wide signal, this was strongly correlated with regionally diagnosed COVID-19 cases and clinical test percent positivity rate. Linked census data demonstrated disproportionate SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater from areas of the city with lower socioeconomic status and more racialized communities. WBE across a range of urban scales was demonstrated to be an effective mechanism of COVID-19 surveillance. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract