TY - JOUR
T1 - First Molecular Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage and Wastewater in Ghana
AU - Duker, Ewurabena Oduma
AU - Obodai, Evangeline
AU - Addo, Seth Offei
AU - Kwasah, Lorreta
AU - Mensah, Edna Serwah
AU - Gberbi, Emmanuel
AU - Anane, Abraham
AU - Attiku, Keren O.
AU - Boakye, Jessica
AU - Agbotse, Gayheart Deladem
AU - Dickson, Angelina Evelyn
AU - Quarcoo, Joseph Ahia
AU - Darko, Patience Akosua
AU - Larbi, Yaw Awuku
AU - Ntim, Nana Afia Asante
AU - Dzudzor, Bartholomew
AU - Odoom, John Kofi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Ewurabena Oduma Duker et al.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected in sewage and wastewater contaminated with infected stool. This study is aimed at detecting the virus and its potential survival in sewage and wastewater in Ghana. The cross-sectional study included samples from 16 validated environmental surveillance sites in 7 regions of Ghana. A total of 354 samples composed of wastewater (280) and sewage (74) were collected from November 2020 to November 2022. Overall, 17% of the samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR, with 6% in sewage and 11% in wastewater. The highest number of positive samples was collected from the Greater Accra Region (7.3%) with the least recorded in the Bono East Region (0.6%). Further characterization of the positive samples using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach yielded two variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (AY.36). Attempts to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in the Vero cell line were not successful probably due to the low viral load concentrations (Ct values>35) or prolonged exposure to high temperatures rendering the virus noninfectious. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage and wastewater may not be infectious, but the prevalence shows that the virus persists in the communities within Ghana.
AB - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected in sewage and wastewater contaminated with infected stool. This study is aimed at detecting the virus and its potential survival in sewage and wastewater in Ghana. The cross-sectional study included samples from 16 validated environmental surveillance sites in 7 regions of Ghana. A total of 354 samples composed of wastewater (280) and sewage (74) were collected from November 2020 to November 2022. Overall, 17% of the samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR, with 6% in sewage and 11% in wastewater. The highest number of positive samples was collected from the Greater Accra Region (7.3%) with the least recorded in the Bono East Region (0.6%). Further characterization of the positive samples using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach yielded two variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (AY.36). Attempts to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in the Vero cell line were not successful probably due to the low viral load concentrations (Ct values>35) or prolonged exposure to high temperatures rendering the virus noninfectious. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage and wastewater may not be infectious, but the prevalence shows that the virus persists in the communities within Ghana.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85189964637&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1155/2024/9975781
DO - 10.1155/2024/9975781
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85189964637
SN - 2314-6133
VL - 2024
JO - BioMed Research International
JF - BioMed Research International
M1 - 9975781
ER -