IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i24p9251-d460057.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) and Viral Detection in Polluted Surface Water: A Valuable Tool for COVID-19 Surveillance—A Brief Review

Author

Listed:
  • Maria de Lourdes Aguiar-Oliveira

    (Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and COVID-19 for the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil)

  • Aline Campos

    (State Center for Health Surveillance, Rio Grande do Sul State Department of Health. Av. Ipiranga, 5400, Porto Alegre CEP 90610-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

  • Aline R. Matos

    (Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and COVID-19 for the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil)

  • Caroline Rigotto

    (Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Feevale University, ERS-239, 2755, Novo Hamburgo CEP 93525-075, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

  • Adriana Sotero-Martins

    (Department of Sanitation and Environmental Health, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca (ENSP), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil)

  • Paulo F. P. Teixeira

    (Former World Health Organization WHO/PAHO Regional Advisor on Water and Sanitation, Environmental Health, Porto Alegre CEP 90035-002, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil)

  • Marilda M. Siqueira

    (Laboratory of Respiratory Viruses and Measles, IOC, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-RJ, National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and COVID-19 for the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), Av. Brasil, 4365 Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro CEP 21040-360, Brazil)

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Disease clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic to severe multiple organ damage. SARS-CoV-2 uses ACE2 as a cellular receptor, which is abundantly expressed in the small intestine, allowing viral replication in the gastrointestinal tract. Viral RNA has been detected in the stool of COVID-19 patients and viable viruses had been isolated in some of these samples. Thus, a putative role of SARS-CoV-2 fecal-oral transmission has been argued. SARS-CoV-2 is shed in human excreta and further disposed in the sewerage or in the environment, in poor basic sanitation settings. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a valuable population level approach for monitoring viral pathogens and has been successfully used in different contexts. This review summarizes the current global experience on SARS-CoV-2 WBE in distinct continents and viral detection in polluted surface water. The advantages and concerns of this strategy for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance are discussed. Outcomes suggest that WBE is a valuable early warning alert and a helpful complementary surveillance tool to subside public health response, to tailor containment and mitigation measures and to determine target populations for testing. In poor sanitation settings, contaminated rivers could be alternatively used as a source for environmental surveillance.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria de Lourdes Aguiar-Oliveira & Aline Campos & Aline R. Matos & Caroline Rigotto & Adriana Sotero-Martins & Paulo F. P. Teixeira & Marilda M. Siqueira, 2020. "Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) and Viral Detection in Polluted Surface Water: A Valuable Tool for COVID-19 Surveillance—A Brief Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-19, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9251-:d:460057
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9251/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/24/9251/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roman Wölfel & Victor M. Corman & Wolfgang Guggemos & Michael Seilmaier & Sabine Zange & Marcel A. Müller & Daniela Niemeyer & Terry C. Jones & Patrick Vollmar & Camilla Rothe & Michael Hoelscher & To, 2020. "Author Correction: Virological assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-2019," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7839), pages 35-35, December.
    2. Peng Zhou & Xing-Lou Yang & Xian-Guang Wang & Ben Hu & Lei Zhang & Wei Zhang & Hao-Rui Si & Yan Zhu & Bei Li & Chao-Lin Huang & Hui-Dong Chen & Jing Chen & Yun Luo & Hua Guo & Ren-Di Jiang & Mei-Qin L, 2020. "Addendum: A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7836), pages 6-6, December.
    3. Peng Zhou & Xing-Lou Yang & Xian-Guang Wang & Ben Hu & Lei Zhang & Wei Zhang & Hao-Rui Si & Yan Zhu & Bei Li & Chao-Lin Huang & Hui-Dong Chen & Jing Chen & Yun Luo & Hua Guo & Ren-Di Jiang & Mei-Qin L, 2020. "A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7798), pages 270-273, March.
    4. Francesco Di Gennaro & Damiano Pizzol & Claudia Marotta & Mario Antunes & Vincenzo Racalbuto & Nicola Veronese & Lee Smith, 2020. "Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19) Current Status and Future Perspectives: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-11, April.
    5. Fan Wu & Su Zhao & Bin Yu & Yan-Mei Chen & Wen Wang & Zhi-Gang Song & Yi Hu & Zhao-Wu Tao & Jun-Hua Tian & Yuan-Yuan Pei & Ming-Li Yuan & Yu-Ling Zhang & Fa-Hui Dai & Yi Liu & Qi-Min Wang & Jiao-Jiao , 2020. "A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7798), pages 265-269, March.
    6. Roman Wölfel & Victor M. Corman & Wolfgang Guggemos & Michael Seilmaier & Sabine Zange & Marcel A. Müller & Daniela Niemeyer & Terry C. Jones & Patrick Vollmar & Camilla Rothe & Michael Hoelscher & To, 2020. "Virological assessment of hospitalized patients with COVID-2019," Nature, Nature, vol. 581(7809), pages 465-469, May.
    7. Fan Wu & Su Zhao & Bin Yu & Yan-Mei Chen & Wen Wang & Zhi-Gang Song & Yi Hu & Zhao-Wu Tao & Jun-Hua Tian & Yuan-Yuan Pei & Ming-Li Yuan & Yu-Ling Zhang & Fa-Hui Dai & Yi Liu & Qi-Min Wang & Jiao-Jiao , 2020. "Author Correction: A new coronavirus associated with human respiratory disease in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 580(7803), pages 7-7, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mayerlin Sandoval Herazo & Graciela Nani & Florentina Zurita & Carlos Nakase & Sergio Zamora & Luis Carlos Sandoval Herazo & Erick Arturo Betanzo-Torres, 2022. "A Review of the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater: Transmission Risks in Mexico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-22, July.
    2. Chang-Ying Hu & Shi-Hai Zhu, 2021. "Method of Setting Environmental Administrative Fine Amounts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-13, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muhammad Moazzam & Muhammad Imran Sajid & Hamza Shahid & Jahanzaib Butt & Irfan Bashir & Muhammad Jamshaid & Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi & Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, 2020. "Understanding COVID-19: From Origin to Potential Therapeutics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-22, August.
    2. Hengrui Liu & Sho Iketani & Arie Zask & Nisha Khanizeman & Eva Bednarova & Farhad Forouhar & Brandon Fowler & Seo Jung Hong & Hiroshi Mohri & Manoj S. Nair & Yaoxing Huang & Nicholas E. S. Tay & Sumin, 2022. "Development of optimized drug-like small molecule inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease for treatment of COVID-19," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Eugene Song & Jae-Eun Lee & Seola Kwon, 2021. "Effect of Public Empathy with Infection-Control Guidelines on Infection-Prevention Attitudes and Behaviors: Based on the Case of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Jaeyong Lee & Calem Kenward & Liam J. Worrall & Marija Vuckovic & Francesco Gentile & Anh-Tien Ton & Myles Ng & Artem Cherkasov & Natalie C. J. Strynadka & Mark Paetzel, 2022. "X-ray crystallographic characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease polyprotein cleavage sites essential for viral processing and maturation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Jing Wang & Yuan-fei Pan & Li-fen Yang & Wei-hong Yang & Kexin Lv & Chu-ming Luo & Juan Wang & Guo-peng Kuang & Wei-chen Wu & Qin-yu Gou & Gen-yang Xin & Bo Li & Huan-le Luo & Shoudeng Chen & Yue-long, 2023. "Individual bat virome analysis reveals co-infection and spillover among bats and virus zoonotic potential," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Juan Liu & Fengfeng Mao & Jianhe Chen & Shuaiyao Lu & Yonghe Qi & Yinyan Sun & Linqiang Fang & Man Lung Yeung & Chunmei Liu & Guimei Yu & Guangyu Li & Ximing Liu & Yuansheng Yao & Panpan Huang & Dongx, 2023. "An IgM-like inhalable ACE2 fusion protein broadly neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    7. Yongin Choi & James Slghee Kim & Heejin Choi & Hyojung Lee & Chang Hyeong Lee, 2020. "Assessment of Social Distancing for Controlling COVID-19 in Korea: An Age-Structured Modeling Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Peter Radvak & Hyung-Joon Kwon & Martina Kosikova & Uriel Ortega-Rodriguez & Ruoxuan Xiang & Je-Nie Phue & Rong-Fong Shen & James Rozzelle & Neeraj Kapoor & Taylor Rabara & Jeff Fairman & Hang Xie, 2021. "SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 (alpha) and B.1.351 (beta) variants induce pathogenic patterns in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice distinct from early strains," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    9. Bruno Palialol & Paula Pereda & Carlos Azzoni, 2020. "Does weather influence COVID‐19 transmission?," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(6), pages 981-1004, December.
    10. Xiaoming Hu & Shuang Wang & Shaotong Fu & Meng Qin & Chengliang Lyu & Zhaowen Ding & Yan Wang & Yishu Wang & Dongshu Wang & Li Zhu & Tao Jiang & Jing Sun & Hui Ding & Jie Wu & Lingqian Chang & Yimin C, 2023. "Intranasal mask for protecting the respiratory tract against viral aerosols," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-20, December.
    11. Phanramphoei N. Frantz & Aleksandr Barinov & Claude Ruffié & Chantal Combredet & Valérie Najburg & Guilherme Dias de Melo & Florence Larrous & Lauriane Kergoat & Samaporn Teeravechyan & Anan Jongkaeww, 2021. "A live measles-vectored COVID-19 vaccine induces strong immunity and protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mice and hamsters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Fabian Zech & Daniel Schniertshauer & Christoph Jung & Alexandra Herrmann & Arne Cordsmeier & Qinya Xie & Rayhane Nchioua & Caterina Prelli Bozzo & Meta Volcic & Lennart Koepke & Janis A. Müller & Jan, 2021. "Spike residue 403 affects binding of coronavirus spikes to human ACE2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Zexun Chen & Sean Kelty & Alexandre G. Evsukoff & Brooke Foucault Welles & James Bagrow & Ronaldo Menezes & Gourab Ghoshal, 2022. "Contrasting social and non-social sources of predictability in human mobility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Marziah Hashimi & T. Andrew Sebrell & Jodi F. Hedges & Deann Snyder & Katrina N. Lyon & Stephanie D. Byrum & Samuel G. Mackintosh & Dan Crowley & Michelle D. Cherne & David Skwarchuk & Amanda Robison , 2023. "Antiviral responses in a Jamaican fruit bat intestinal organoid model of SARS-CoV-2 infection," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    15. Muhammad Azher Hassan & Tariq Mehmood & Ehtisham Lodhi & Muhammad Bilal & Afzal Ahmed Dar & Junjie Liu, 2022. "Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Ascendancy over Ambient Particulate Matter Pollution Anomaly," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-31, October.
    16. Hubert Dobrowolski & Dariusz Włodarek, 2021. "Body Mass, Physical Activity and Eating Habits Changes during the First COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-9, May.
    17. Frederick Ahen, 2022. "Community-Level Health Interventions are Crucial in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Lessons from Africa’s Proactive Public Health Policy Interventions," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 369-390, December.
    18. Tasos Stylianou & Konstantinos Ntelas, 2023. "Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health and Socioeconomic Aspects in Greece," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-21, January.
    19. Jerzy Sienko & Izabela Marczak & Maciej Kotowski & Anna Bogacz & Karol Tejchman & Magdalena Sienko & Katarzyna Kotfis, 2022. "Association of ACE2 Gene Variants with the Severity of COVID-19 Disease—A Prospective Observational Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-8, October.
    20. Malik Sallam & Deema Dababseh & Alaa’ Yaseen & Ayat Al-Haidar & Nidaa A. Ababneh & Faris G. Bakri & Azmi Mahafzah, 2020. "Conspiracy Beliefs Are Associated with Lower Knowledge and Higher Anxiety Levels Regarding COVID-19 among Students at the University of Jordan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-15, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9251-:d:460057. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.