Utilization of SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance in Africa-A Rapid Review

Tafadzwa Dzinamarira; Grant Murewanhema; Patrick Gad Iradukunda; Roda Madziva; Helena Herrera; Diego F Cuadros; Nigel Tungwarara; Itai Chitungo; Godfrey Musuka

doi:10.3390/ijerph19020969

Utilization of SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Surveillance in Africa-A Rapid Review

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jan 15;19(2):969. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19020969.

Authors

Tafadzwa Dzinamarira^{1

2}, Grant Murewanhema³, Patrick Gad Iradukunda⁴, Roda Madziva⁵, Helena Herrera⁶, Diego F Cuadros⁷, Nigel Tungwarara⁸, Itai Chitungo⁹, Godfrey Musuka²

Affiliations

¹ School of Health Systems & Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
² ICAP at Columbia University, Harare, Zimbabwe.
³ Unit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
⁴ London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London WC1E 7HU, UK.
⁵ School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
⁶ School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2UP, UK.
⁷ Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA.
⁸ Department of Health Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.
⁹ Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Wastewater-based epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in wastewater is desirable for understanding COVID-19 in settings where financial resources and diagnostic facilities for mass individual testing are severely limited. We conducted a rapid review to map research evidence on the utilization of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance in Africa. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and the World Health Organization library databases for relevant reports, reviews, and primary observational studies. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Narrative synthesis of the findings from included primary studies revealed the testing methodologies utilized and that detected amount of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA correlated with the number of new cases in the studied areas. The included reviews revealed the epidemiological significance and environmental risks of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater. Wastewater surveillance data at the community level can be leveraged for the rapid assessment of emerging threats and aid pandemic preparedness. Our rapid review revealed a glaring gap in the primary literature on SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance on the continent, and accelerated and adequate investment into research is urgently needed to address this gap.

Keywords: Africa; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; surveillance; wastewater.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Humans
RNA, Viral
SARS-CoV-2*
Wastewater
Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring

Substances

RNA, Viral
Waste Water