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Community Wastewater-Based Surveillance Can Be a Cost-Effective Approach to Track COVID-19 Outbreak in Low-Resource Settings: Feasibility Assessment for Ethiopia Context

Author

Listed:
  • Solomon Ali

    (Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1271, Ethiopia)

  • Esayas Kebede Gudina

    (Department of Internal Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia)

  • Addisu Gize

    (Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1271, Ethiopia)

  • Abde Aliy

    (National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, Sebeta P.O. Box 04, Ethiopia)

  • Birhanemeskel Tegene Adankie

    (Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1271, Ethiopia)

  • Wondwossen Tsegaye

    (Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1271, Ethiopia)

  • Gadissa Bedada Hundie

    (Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1271, Ethiopia)

  • Mahteme Bekele Muleta

    (Department of Surgery, St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium, Medical College, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 1271, Ethiopia)

  • Tesfaye Rufael Chibssa

    (National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, Sebeta P.O. Box 04, Ethiopia)

  • Rediet Belaineh

    (National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, Sebeta P.O. Box 04, Ethiopia)

  • Demessa Negessu

    (National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, Sebeta P.O. Box 04, Ethiopia)

  • Dereje Shegu

    (National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, Sebeta P.O. Box 04, Ethiopia)

  • Guenter Froeschl

    (Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80802 Munich, Germany
    Partner Site Munich, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), 80802 Munich, Germany)

  • Andreas Wieser

    (Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80802 Munich, Germany
    Partner Site Munich, German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), 80802 Munich, Germany
    Max von Pettenkofer-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 80802 Munich, Germany)

Abstract

Wastewater surveillance systems have become an important component of COVID-19 outbreak monitoring in high-income settings. However, its use in most low-income settings has not been well-studied. This study assessed the feasibility and utility of wastewater surveillance system to monitor SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study was conducted at nine Membrane Bio-reactor (MBR) wastewater processing plants. The samples were collected in two separate time series. Wastewater samples and known leftover RT-PCR tested nasopharyngeal swabs were processed using two extraction protocols with different sample conditions. SARS-CoV-2 wastewater RT-PCR testing was conducted using RIDA GENE SARS-CoV-2 RUO protocol for wastewater SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing. Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 RNA RT-PCR protocol adaptation, optimization, and detection were conducted in an Addis Ababa, Ethiopia context. Samples collected during the first time series, when the national COVID-19 case load was low, were all negative. Conversely, samples collected during the second time series were all positive, coinciding with the highest daily reported new cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia. The wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 surveillance approach is feasible for Addis Ababa. The COVID-19 wastewater based epidemiological approach can potentially fill the evidence gap in distribution and dynamics of COVID-19 in Ethiopia and other low-income settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Solomon Ali & Esayas Kebede Gudina & Addisu Gize & Abde Aliy & Birhanemeskel Tegene Adankie & Wondwossen Tsegaye & Gadissa Bedada Hundie & Mahteme Bekele Muleta & Tesfaye Rufael Chibssa & Rediet Belai, 2022. "Community Wastewater-Based Surveillance Can Be a Cost-Effective Approach to Track COVID-19 Outbreak in Low-Resource Settings: Feasibility Assessment for Ethiopia Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8515-:d:861076
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Renée Street & Angela Mathee & Noluxabiso Mangwana & Stephanie Dias & Jyoti Rajan Sharma & Pritika Ramharack & Johan Louw & Tarylee Reddy & Ludwig Brocker & Swastika Surujlal-Naicker & Natacha Berkowi, 2021. "Spatial and Temporal Trends of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from Wastewater Treatment Plants over 6 Weeks in Cape Town, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-9, November.
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