Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020

Fuqing Wu; Amy Xiao; Jianbo Zhang; Katya Moniz; Noriko Endo; Federica Armas; Mary Bushman; Peter R. Chai; Claire Duvallet; Timothy B. Erickson; Katelyn Foppe; Newsha Ghaeli; Xiaoqiong Gu; William P. Hanage; Katherine H. Huang; Wei Lin Lee; Kyle A. McElroy; Steven F. Rhode; Mariana Matus; Stefan Wuertz; Janelle Thompson; Eric J. Alm

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117400

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020

Fuqing Wu, Amy Xiao, Jianbo Zhang, Katya Moniz, Noriko Endo, Federica Armas, Mary Bushman, Peter R. Chai, Claire Duvallet, Timothy B. Erickson, Katelyn Foppe, Newsha Ghaeli, Xiaoqiong Gu, William P. Hanage, Katherine H. Huang, Wei Lin Lee, Kyle A. McElroy, Steven F. Rhode, Mariana Matus, Stefan WuertzJanelle Thompson, Eric J. Alm^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

119 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Wastewater-based disease surveillance is a promising approach for monitoring community outbreaks. Here we describe a nationwide campaign to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater of 159 counties in 40 U.S. states, covering 13% of the U.S. population from February 18 to June 2, 2020. Out of 1,751 total samples analyzed, 846 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with overall viral concentrations declining from April to May. Wastewater viral titers were consistent with, and appeared to precede, clinical COVID-19 surveillance indicators, including daily new cases. Wastewater surveillance had a high detection rate (>80%) of SARS-CoV-2 when the daily incidence exceeded 13 per 100,000 people. Detection rates were positively associated with wastewater treatment plant catchment size. To our knowledge, this work represents the largest-scale wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 monitoring campaign to date, encompassing a wide diversity of wastewater treatment facilities and geographic locations. Our findings demonstrate that a national wastewater-based approach to disease surveillance may be feasible and effective.

Original language	English
Article number	117400
Journal	Water Research
Volume	202
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117400
Publication status	Published - Sept 1 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Environmental Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering
Ecological Modelling
Water Science and Technology
Waste Management and Disposal
Pollution

Keywords

Detection rate
SARS-CoV-2
Spatiotemporal dynamics
United States
Wastewater surveillance

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10.1016/j.watres.2021.117400

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Wu, F., Xiao, A., Zhang, J., Moniz, K., Endo, N., Armas, F., Bushman, M., Chai, P. R., Duvallet, C., Erickson, T. B., Foppe, K., Ghaeli, N., Gu, X., Hanage, W. P., Huang, K. H., Lee, W. L., McElroy, K. A., Rhode, S. F., Matus, M., ... Alm, E. J. (2021). Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020. Water Research, 202, Article 117400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117400

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title = "Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020",

abstract = "Wastewater-based disease surveillance is a promising approach for monitoring community outbreaks. Here we describe a nationwide campaign to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater of 159 counties in 40 U.S. states, covering 13% of the U.S. population from February 18 to June 2, 2020. Out of 1,751 total samples analyzed, 846 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with overall viral concentrations declining from April to May. Wastewater viral titers were consistent with, and appeared to precede, clinical COVID-19 surveillance indicators, including daily new cases. Wastewater surveillance had a high detection rate (>80%) of SARS-CoV-2 when the daily incidence exceeded 13 per 100,000 people. Detection rates were positively associated with wastewater treatment plant catchment size. To our knowledge, this work represents the largest-scale wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 monitoring campaign to date, encompassing a wide diversity of wastewater treatment facilities and geographic locations. Our findings demonstrate that a national wastewater-based approach to disease surveillance may be feasible and effective.",

keywords = "Detection rate, SARS-CoV-2, Spatiotemporal dynamics, United States, Wastewater surveillance",

author = "Fuqing Wu and Amy Xiao and Jianbo Zhang and Katya Moniz and Noriko Endo and Federica Armas and Mary Bushman and Chai, {Peter R.} and Claire Duvallet and Erickson, {Timothy B.} and Katelyn Foppe and Newsha Ghaeli and Xiaoqiong Gu and Hanage, {William P.} and Huang, {Katherine H.} and Lee, {Wei Lin} and McElroy, {Kyle A.} and Rhode, {Steven F.} and Mariana Matus and Stefan Wuertz and Janelle Thompson and Alm, {Eric J.}",

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year = "2021",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.watres.2021.117400",

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Wu, F, Xiao, A, Zhang, J, Moniz, K, Endo, N, Armas, F, Bushman, M, Chai, PR, Duvallet, C, Erickson, TB, Foppe, K, Ghaeli, N, Gu, X, Hanage, WP, Huang, KH, Lee, WL, McElroy, KA, Rhode, SF, Matus, M, Wuertz, S, Thompson, J & Alm, EJ 2021, 'Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020', Water Research, vol. 202, 117400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117400

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T1 - Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020

AU - Wu, Fuqing

AU - Xiao, Amy

AU - Zhang, Jianbo

AU - Moniz, Katya

AU - Endo, Noriko

AU - Armas, Federica

AU - Bushman, Mary

AU - Chai, Peter R.

AU - Duvallet, Claire

AU - Erickson, Timothy B.

AU - Foppe, Katelyn

AU - Ghaeli, Newsha

AU - Gu, Xiaoqiong

AU - Hanage, William P.

AU - Huang, Katherine H.

AU - Lee, Wei Lin

AU - McElroy, Kyle A.

AU - Rhode, Steven F.

AU - Matus, Mariana

AU - Wuertz, Stefan

AU - Thompson, Janelle

AU - Alm, Eric J.

PY - 2021/9/1

Y1 - 2021/9/1

N2 - Wastewater-based disease surveillance is a promising approach for monitoring community outbreaks. Here we describe a nationwide campaign to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater of 159 counties in 40 U.S. states, covering 13% of the U.S. population from February 18 to June 2, 2020. Out of 1,751 total samples analyzed, 846 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with overall viral concentrations declining from April to May. Wastewater viral titers were consistent with, and appeared to precede, clinical COVID-19 surveillance indicators, including daily new cases. Wastewater surveillance had a high detection rate (>80%) of SARS-CoV-2 when the daily incidence exceeded 13 per 100,000 people. Detection rates were positively associated with wastewater treatment plant catchment size. To our knowledge, this work represents the largest-scale wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 monitoring campaign to date, encompassing a wide diversity of wastewater treatment facilities and geographic locations. Our findings demonstrate that a national wastewater-based approach to disease surveillance may be feasible and effective.

AB - Wastewater-based disease surveillance is a promising approach for monitoring community outbreaks. Here we describe a nationwide campaign to monitor SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater of 159 counties in 40 U.S. states, covering 13% of the U.S. population from February 18 to June 2, 2020. Out of 1,751 total samples analyzed, 846 samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with overall viral concentrations declining from April to May. Wastewater viral titers were consistent with, and appeared to precede, clinical COVID-19 surveillance indicators, including daily new cases. Wastewater surveillance had a high detection rate (>80%) of SARS-CoV-2 when the daily incidence exceeded 13 per 100,000 people. Detection rates were positively associated with wastewater treatment plant catchment size. To our knowledge, this work represents the largest-scale wastewater-based SARS-CoV-2 monitoring campaign to date, encompassing a wide diversity of wastewater treatment facilities and geographic locations. Our findings demonstrate that a national wastewater-based approach to disease surveillance may be feasible and effective.

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KW - Spatiotemporal dynamics

KW - United States

KW - Wastewater surveillance

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SN - 0043-1354

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JO - Water Research

JF - Water Research

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Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across 40 U.S. states from February to June 2020

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

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