Tracking COVID-19 with wastewater to understand asymptomatic transmission

Dhammika Leshan Wannigama; Mohan Amarasiri; Cameron Hurst; Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen; Shuichi Abe; Parichart Hongsing; S M Ali Hosseini Rad; Lachlan Pearson; Thammakorn Saethang; Sirirat Luk-In; Naris Kueakulpattana; Robin James Storer; Puey Ounjai; Alain Jacquet; Asada Leelahavanichkul; Tanittha Chatsuwan

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.05.005

Tracking COVID-19 with wastewater to understand asymptomatic transmission

Int J Infect Dis. 2021 Jul:108:296-299. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.05.005. Epub 2021 May 11.

Authors

Dhammika Leshan Wannigama¹, Mohan Amarasiri², Cameron Hurst³, Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen⁴, Shuichi Abe⁵, Parichart Hongsing⁶, S M Ali Hosseini Rad⁷, Lachlan Pearson⁸, Thammakorn Saethang⁹, Sirirat Luk-In¹⁰, Naris Kueakulpattana¹¹, Robin James Storer¹², Puey Ounjai¹³, Alain Jacquet¹⁴, Asada Leelahavanichkul¹⁵, Tanittha Chatsuwan¹⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand; Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
² Laboratory of Environmental Hygiene, Department of Health Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kitasato University, Kitasato, Sagamihara-Minami, Kanagawa, Japan.
³ Statistics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Rangsit, Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani Thailand.
⁴ Department of Emergency Medicine, Center of Excellence, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Yamagata Prefectural Central Hospital, Yamagata, Japan.
⁶ Mae Fah Luang University Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand; School of Integrative Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
⁷ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9010, Otago, New Zealand; Center of Excellence in Immunology and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
⁸ Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁹ Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Microbiology and Applied Technology, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹¹ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand; Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹² Office of Research Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹³ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁴ Chula Vaccine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁵ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand; Translational Research in Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit (TRIRU), Department of Microbiology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
¹⁶ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand; Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: Tanittha.C@chula.ac.th.

Abstract

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 RNA is excreted in feces of most patients, therefore viral load in wastewater can be used as a surveillance tool to develop an early warning system to help and manage future pandemics.

Methods: We collected wastewater from 24 random locations at Bangkok city center and 26 nearby suburbs from July to December 2020. SARS-CoV-2 RNA copy numbers were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in wastewater from both the city center and suburbs. Except for July, there were no significant differences in copy numbers between the city center and suburbs. Between October and November, a sharp rise in copy number was observed in both places followed by two to three times increase in December, related to SARS-CoV-2 cases reported for same month.

Conclusions: Our study provided the first dataset related to SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in the wastewater of Bangkok. Our results suggest that wastewater could be used as a complementary source for detecting viral RNA and predicting upcoming outbreaks and waves.

Keywords: Asymptomatic transmission; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater; SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA; Wastewater; Wastewater of Bangkok.

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Humans
RNA, Viral / genetics
SARS-CoV-2
Thailand
Wastewater*

Substances

RNA, Viral
Waste Water