COVID-19 Prediction using Genomic Footprint of SARS-CoV-2 in Air, Surface Swab and Wastewater Samples
Authors: Solo-Gabriele Helena M. , Kumar Shelja , Abelson Samantha , Penso Johnathon , Contreras Julio , Babler Kristina M. , Sharkey Mark E. , Mantero Alejandro M. A. , Lamar Walter E. , Tallon John J. , Kobetz Erin , Solle Natasha Schaefer , Shukla Bhavarth S. , Kenney Richard J. , Mason Christopher E. , Schürer Stephan C. , Vidovic Dusica , Williams Sion L. , Grills George S. , Jayaweera Dushyantha T. , Mirsaeidi Mehdi , Kumar Naresh 
Published: March 2022

Importance

Genomic footprints of pathogens shed by infected individuals can be traced in environmental samples. Analysis of these samples can be employed for noninvasive surveillance of infectious diseases.

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of environmental surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) for predicting COVID-19 cases in a college dormitory.

Design

Using a prospective experimental design, air, surface swabs, and wastewater samples were collected from a college dormitory from March to May 2021. Students were randomly screened for COVID-19 during the study period. SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples was concentrated with electronegative filtration and quantified using Volcano 2nd Generation-qPCR. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine the associations between time-lagged SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples and clinically diagnosed COVID-19 cases.

Setting

This study was conducted in a residential dormitory at the University of Miami, Coral Gables campus, FL, USA. The dormitory housed about 500 students.

Participants

Students from the dormitory were randomly screened, for COVID-19 for 2-3 days / week while entering or exiting the dormitory.

Main Outcome

Clinically diagnosed COVID-19 cases were of our main interest. We hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 detection in environmental samples was an indicator of the presence of local COVID-19 cases in the dormitory, and SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the environmental samples several days prior to the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 cases.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 genomic footprints were detected in air, surface swab and wastewater samples on 52 (63.4%), 40 (50.0%) and 57 (68.6%) days, respectively, during the study period. On 19 (24%) of 78 days SARS-CoV-2 was detected in all three sample types. Clinically diagnosed COVID-19 cases were reported on 11 days during the study period and SARS-CoV-2 was also detected two days before the case diagnosis on all 11 (100%), 9 (81.8%) and 8 (72.7%) days in air, surface swab and wastewater samples, respectively.

Conclusion

Proactive environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 or other pathogens in a community/public setting has potential to guide targeted measures to contain and/or mitigate infectious disease outbreaks.

Key Points

Question

How effective is environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in public places for early detection of COVID-19 cases in a community?

Findings

All clinically confirmed COVID-19 cases were predicted with the aid of 2 day lagged SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples in a college dormitory. However, the prediction efficiency varied by sample type: best prediction by air samples, followed by wastewater and surface swab samples. SARS-CoV-2 was also detected in these samples even on days without any reported cases of COVID-19, suggesting underreporting of COVID-19 cases.

Meaning

SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in environmental samples several days prior to clinical reporting of COVID-19 cases. Thus, proactive environmental surveillance of microbiome in public places can serve as a mean for early detection of location-time specific outbreaks of infectious diseases. It can also be used for underreporting of infectious diseases.