Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2: A Comparison of Two Concentration Methods

Wastewater surveillance is crucial for the epidemiological monitoring of SARS-CoV-2. Various concentration techniques, such as skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, are employed to isolate the virus effectively. This study aims to compare these two methods and determine the one with the superior recovery rates. From February to December 2021, 24-h wastewater samples were collected from the Ioannina Wastewater Treatment Plant's inlet and processed using both techniques. Subsequent viral genome isolation and a real-time RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 were performed. The quantitative analysis demonstrated a higher detection sensitivity with a PEG-based concentration than SMF. Moreover, when the samples were positive by both methods, PEG consistently yielded higher viral loads. These findings underscore the need for further research into concentration methodologies and the development of precise protocols to enhance epidemiological surveillance through wastewater analysis.

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Publication Details

Journal
Viruses
Published
2024-08-31
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v16091398
Citations
2
Primary Topic
SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.78
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Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2: A Comparison of Two Concentration Methods

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2 citations
Viruses
SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
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article

Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2: A Comparison of Two Concentration Methods

Anastasia Koutsolioutsou, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Maria Kyritsi, Eirini Christaki, Michalis Koureas, Konstantina Gartzonika, Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Petros Bozidis, A. Bartzokas, Dimitrios Alivertis, Eirini Panteli, Evangelia Ntzani, Georgios Markozannes, Chrysostomos Ι. Dovas, Alexandra D. Koutsotoli, Lambros Nousis, Christina Diamanti, Nikolaos Simantiris
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Wastewater surveillance is crucial for the epidemiological monitoring of SARS-CoV-2. Various concentration techniques, such as skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, are employed to isolate the virus effectively. This study aims to compare these two methods and determine the one with the superior recovery rates. From February to December 2021, 24-h wastewater samples were collected from the Ioannina Wastewater Treatment Plant's inlet and processed using both techniques. Subsequent viral genome isolation and a real-time RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 were performed. The quantitative analysis demonstrated a higher detection sensitivity with a PEG-based concentration than SMF. Moreover, when the samples were positive by both methods, PEG consistently yielded higher viral loads. These findings underscore the need for further research into concentration methodologies and the development of precise protocols to enhance epidemiological surveillance through wastewater analysis.

VirusesVol. 16(9)
University of Thessaly (GR), University of Ioannina (GR), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR), Brown University (US), University Hospital of Ioannina (GR), National Public Health Organization (GR)
Clean water and sanitation
Openalex Percentile: Top 28%
SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
0.78
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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