Simultaneous Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Virus in Wastewater of Two Cities in Southeastern Germany, January to May 2022

Roger Dumke (), Michael Geissler, Annett Skupin, Björn Helm, Robin Mayer, Sara Schubert, Reinhard Oertel, Bertold Renner and Alexander H. Dalpke
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Roger Dumke: Institute of Medical Microbiology und Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Michael Geissler: Institute of Medical Microbiology und Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Annett Skupin: Institute of Medical Microbiology und Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Björn Helm: Institute of Urban and Industrial Water Management, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Robin Mayer: Institute of Urban and Industrial Water Management, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
Sara Schubert: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Reinhard Oertel: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Bertold Renner: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
Alexander H. Dalpke: Institute of Medical Microbiology und Virology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-9

Abstract: Dependent on the excretion pattern, wastewater monitoring of viruses can be a valuable approach to characterizing their circulation in the human population. Using polyethylene glycol precipitation and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, the occurrence of RNA of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses A/B in the raw wastewater of two treatment plants in Germany between January and May 2022 was investigated. Due to the relatively high incidence in both exposal areas (plant 1 and plant 2), SARS-CoV-2-specific RNA was determined in all 273 composite samples analyzed (concentration of E gene: 1.3 × 10 4 to 3.2 × 10 6 gc/L). Despite a nation-wide low number of confirmed infections, influenza virus A was demonstrated in 5.2% (concentration: 9.8 × 10 2 to 8.4 × 10 4 gc/L; plant 1) and in 41.6% (3.6 × 10 3 to 3.0 × 10 5 gc/L; plant 2) of samples. Influenza virus B was detected in 36.0% (7.2 × 10 2 to 8.5 × 10 6 gc/L; plant 1) and 57.7% (9.6 × 10 3 to 2.1 × 10 7 gc/L; plant 2) of wastewater samples. The results of the study demonstrate the frequent detection of two primary respiratory viruses in wastewater and offer the possibility to track the epidemiology of influenza by wastewater-based monitoring.

Keywords: influenza virus; SARS-CoV-2; molecular detection; wastewater-based epidemiology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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