With a unique and large size of testing results of 1,842 samples collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for 14 months through from low to high prevalence of COVID-19,the sensitivity of RT-qPCR detection ...With a unique and large size of testing results of 1,842 samples collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for 14 months through from low to high prevalence of COVID-19,the sensitivity of RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater that correspond to the communities was computed by using Probit analysis.This study determined the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population required to detect SARS-CoV-2RNA in wastewater at defined probabilities and provided an evidence-based framework of wastewater-based epidemiology surveillance (WBE).Input data were positive and negative test results of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples and the corresponding new COVID-19 case rates per 100,000 population served by each WWTP.The analyses determined that RT-qPCR-based SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection threshold at 50%,80%and 99%probability required a median of 8 (range:4-19),18 (9-43),and 38 (17-97) of new COVID-19 cases/100,000,respectively.Namely,the positive detection rate at 50%,80%and 99%probability were 0.01%,0.02%,and 0.04%averagely for new cases in the population.This study improves understanding of the performance of WBE SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection using the large datasets and prolonged study period.Estimated COVID-19 burden at a community level that would result in a positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is critical to support WBE application as a supplementary warning/monitoring system for COVID-19 prevention and control.展开更多
基金supported by research grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research [grant number VR5-172701, 2020]Alberta Innovates and Alberta Health [grant number RES0051047, 2020]。
文摘With a unique and large size of testing results of 1,842 samples collected from 12 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for 14 months through from low to high prevalence of COVID-19,the sensitivity of RT-qPCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater that correspond to the communities was computed by using Probit analysis.This study determined the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population required to detect SARS-CoV-2RNA in wastewater at defined probabilities and provided an evidence-based framework of wastewater-based epidemiology surveillance (WBE).Input data were positive and negative test results of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater samples and the corresponding new COVID-19 case rates per 100,000 population served by each WWTP.The analyses determined that RT-qPCR-based SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection threshold at 50%,80%and 99%probability required a median of 8 (range:4-19),18 (9-43),and 38 (17-97) of new COVID-19 cases/100,000,respectively.Namely,the positive detection rate at 50%,80%and 99%probability were 0.01%,0.02%,and 0.04%averagely for new cases in the population.This study improves understanding of the performance of WBE SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection using the large datasets and prolonged study period.Estimated COVID-19 burden at a community level that would result in a positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is critical to support WBE application as a supplementary warning/monitoring system for COVID-19 prevention and control.