Monitor Viral RNA in Sewage to estimate community prevalence of SARS-COV2

An as yet unpublished Dutch Study suggests that it may be possible to quantify Viral RNA in sewage to provide an estimate of community prevalence of SARS COV2. This could be a useful adjunct to community testing when deciding on further lockdown measures.

The link and abstract are below:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.29.20045880v1

Abstract
In the current COVID-19 pandemic, a significant proportion of cases shed SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) with their faeces. To determine if SARS-CoV-2 is present in sewage during the emergence of COVID-19 in the Netherlands, sewage samples of 7 cities and the airport were tested using RT-PCR against three fragments of the nucleocapsid protein gene (N1-3) and one fragment of the envelope protein gene (E). No SARS-CoV-2 was detected in samples of February 6, three weeks before the first case was reported in the Netherlands on February 27. On March 5, the N1 fragment was detected in sewage of five sites. On March 15/16, the N1 fragment was detected in sewage of six sites, and the N3 and E fragment were detected at 5 and 4 sites respectively. This is the first report of detection of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage. The detection of the virus in sewage, even when the COVID-19 incidence is low, indicates that sewage surveillance could be a sensitive tool to monitor the circulation of the virus in the population.

Why the contribution is important

We are facing repeat cycles of lockdown according to the prevalence of SARS COV2 in the community. If it was feasible to start a system of quantifying viral RNA in sewage then this could be a useful adjunct to community testing when deciding in further lockdown measures. Worth exploring I reckon

by jamietraynor on May 10, 2020 at 06:05PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.6
Based on: 9 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Opportunity May 10, 2020 at 18:32

    This would certainly be a good additional tool.
    Another study has recently been published which appears to demonstrate the feasibility.

    Ahmed, W. et al., First confirmed detection of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater in Australia: A proof of concept for the wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 in the community. Science of the Total Environment, pp.Science of the Total Environment.

    But the Scottish government should not only consider wastewater as a potential indicator of prevalence. Wastewater could possibly also play a role in transmission, something which appears to have been completely overlooked so far:

    Gormley, M., Aspray, T.J. & Kelly, D.A., 2020. COVID-19: mitigating transmission via wastewater plumbing systems. The Lancet Global Health, 8(5), p.e643.
  • Posted by suki56 May 10, 2020 at 18:40

    I have read about this - very interesting and could be an exceptionally useful adjunct in monitoring prevalence and levels in local populations.
Log in or register to add comments and rate ideas