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Publications

Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Epublish 4 citations

PubMed: 36680203 DOI: 10.3390/v15010162

Using Wastewater Surveillance to Compare COVID-19 Outbreaks during the Easter Holidays over a 2-Year Period in Cape Town, South Africa.

Viruses 15(1)

Authors: Nomfundo Mahlangeni, Renée Street, Suranie Horn, Angela Mathee, Noluxabiso Mangwana, Stephanie Dias, Jyoti Rajan Sharma, Pritika Ramharack, Johan Louw, Tarylee Reddy, Swastika Surujlal-Naicker, Sizwe Nkambule, Candice Webster, Mongezi Mdhluli, Glenda Gray, Christo Muller, Rabia Johnson

Affiliations

  • Environment & Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
  • Environmental Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
  • Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa.
  • Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7505, South Africa.
  • Department of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.
  • Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4001, South Africa.
  • Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa.
  • Biostatistics Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Durban 4091, South Africa.
  • Scientific Services, Water and Sanitation Department, City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality, Cape Town 8000, South Africa.
  • Chief Research Operations Office, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7050, South Africa.
  • Office of the President, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Tygerberg 7050, South Africa.
  • Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Cardio-Metabolic Research in Africa, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.

Abstract

Wastewater surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shown to be an important approach to determine early outbreaks of infections. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is regarded as a complementary tool for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 trends in communities. In this study, the changes in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater during Easter holidays in 2021 and 2022 in the City of Cape Town were monitored over nine weeks. Our findings showed a statistically significant difference in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral load between the study weeks over the Easter period in 2021 and 2022, except for study week 1 and 4. During the Easter week, 52% of the wastewater treatment plants moved from the lower (low viral RNA) category in 2021 to the higher (medium to very high viral RNA) categories in 2022. As a result, the median SARS-CoV-2 viral loads where higher during the Easter week in 2022 than Easter week in 2021 (p = 0.0052). Mixed-effects model showed an association between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral loads and Easter week over the Easter period in 2021 only (p < 0.01). The study highlights the potential of WBE to track outbreaks during the holiday period.

MeSH

Virology, Disease Outbreaks, Rna, Viral, Viral Load, Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Monitoring, Covid-19, Sars-Cov-2

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