Unveiling the silent information of wastewater-based epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 at community and sanitary zone levels: experience in Córdoba City, Argentina

• Published in: Journal of water and health Vol. 22; no. 11; pp. 2171 - 2183
• Main Authors: Masachessi, Gisela, Castro, Gonzalo Manuel, Marinzalda, María de los Angeles, Cachi, Ariana Mariela, Sicilia, Paola, Prez, Veronica Emilce, Martínez, Laura Cecilia, Giordano, Miguel Oscar, Pisano, María Belen, Ré, Viviana Elizabeth, Del Bianco, Carlos Martin, Parisato, Sofia, Fernandez, Micaela, Ibarra, Gustavo, Lopez, Laura, Barbás, Gabriela, Nates, Silvia Viviana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England IWA Publishing 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Argentina - epidemiology; Circulation; Cities; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Flow mapping; Health surveillance; Humans; Laboratories; Manholes; Municipal wastewater; Mutation; Nucleotide sequence; PCR; Polyethylene glycol; Population; Public health; Real time; RNA, Viral - analysis; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Viral diseases; Wastewater; Wastewater - virology; Wastewater treatment plants; Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring; Water sampling; Water treatment; Argentina; Germany; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; wastewater-based epidemiology; public health policies
• ISSN: 1477-8920; 1996-7829
• DOI: 10.2166/wh.2024.285

The emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 significantly enhanced the application of wastewater monitoring for detecting SARS-CoV-2 circulation within communities. From October 2021 to October 2022, we collected 406 wastewater samples weekly from the Córdoba Central Pipeline Network (BG-WWTP) and six specific sewer manholes from sanitary zones (SZs). Following WHO guidelines, we processed samples and detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA and variants using real-time PCR. Monitoring at the SZ level allowed for the development of a viral activity flow map, pinpointing key areas of SARS-CoV-2 circulation and tracking its temporal spread and variant evolution. Our findings demonstrate that wastewater-based surveillance acts as a sensitive indicator of viral activity, detecting imminent increases in COVID-19 cases before they become evident in clinical data. This study highlights the effectiveness of targeted wastewater monitoring at both municipal and SZ levels in identifying viral hotspots and assessing community-wide circulation. Importantly, the data shows that environmental wastewater studies provide valuable insights into virus presence, independent of clinical COVID-19 case records, and offer a robust tool for adapting to future public health challenges.