Monitoring SARS ‐ CoV ‐2 Dissemination in Wastewater and Virus Isolation in Cell Cultures: An Integrated Approach for Pathogen Detection and Surveillance
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Our study presents wastewater (WW) monitoring data, focusing on determining the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in the collected samples. Additionally, a panel of different viruses has been tested in the WW samples. The untreated WW monitoring campaign took place over 1 year in Bucharest, with approximately 300 samples being collected twice a week at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and an infectious diseases hospital. Our data indicated that SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in WW preceded the increase in the number of clinical cases by nearly 2 weeks. Differences between locations were notable, with higher raw concentrations in WW samples from the hospital than those from the WWTP. However, after normalising to population equivalent, the hospital samples concentrations dropped significantly, suggesting that WW monitoring at the urban level provides a more complete and epidemiologically relevant picture than data obtained only from hospitals. Only a few isolates could demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 persistence during in vitro passages. Although the success rate was low, the technique remains crucial for validating the viability of viruses. Adenovirus, Bocavirus and Reovirus were the most abundant ones in both urban and hospital wastewater. WW monitoring remains the most effective approach for tracking the dissemination of various pathogens and supporting public health authorities.
DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.70805
Authors: Elena Radu, Tudor Emanuel Fertig, Laura Denisa Dragu, Ioana Mădălina Pitică, Marius Surleac, Ana Iulia Neagu, Lavinia Pană, Alexandra Păiş, Lilia Matei, Ionut‐Lucian Antone‐Iordache, Daciana Silvia Marta, Victor‐Eduard Peteu, Mihai Niţă‐Lazăr, Cătălina Stoica, Cornel Popescu, Camelia Mădălina Sultana, Anca Botezatu, Iulia Virginia Iancu, Mihaela Chivu‐Economescu, Leontina Banică, Ana Sorinica Petre, Simona Paraschiv, Mihaela Gherghiceanu, Simona Maria Ruta, Norbert Kreuzinger, Carmen Cristina Diaconu, Coralia Bleotu
Institutions: TU Wien, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romanian Academy, Institutul National Victor Babes, University of Bucharest, National Institute for Research and Development for Industrial Ecology, Romanian Waters National Administration, Academia Oamenilor de Știință din România
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,210
Awards: G6703262589, G8239453862
OpenAlex ID: W4413892217