Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Bivalve Mollusks by Droplet Digital RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR)

Andrea Mancusi, Federico Capuano, Santa Girardi, Orlandina Di Maro, Elisabetta Suffredini, Denise Di Concilio, Lucia Vassallo, Maria Concetta Cuomo, Maria Tafuro, Daniel Signorelli, Andrea Pierri, Antonio Pizzolante, Pellegrino Cerino, Giuseppina La Rosa, Yolande Thérèse Rose Proroga and Biancamaria Pierri
Additional contact information
Andrea Mancusi: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Federico Capuano: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Santa Girardi: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Orlandina Di Maro: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Elisabetta Suffredini: Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Denise Di Concilio: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Lucia Vassallo: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Maria Concetta Cuomo: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Maria Tafuro: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Daniel Signorelli: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Andrea Pierri: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Antonio Pizzolante: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Pellegrino Cerino: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Giuseppina La Rosa: Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Yolande Thérèse Rose Proroga: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Biancamaria Pierri: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute No. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Bivalve shellfish are readily contaminated by human pathogens present in waters impacted by municipal sewage, and the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in feces of infected patients and in wastewater has drawn attention to the possible presence of the virus in bivalves. The aim of this study was to collect data on SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in bivalve mollusks from harvesting areas of Campania region. A total of 179 samples were collected between September 2019 and April 2021 and were tested using droplet digital RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR. Combining results obtained with different assays, SARS-CoV-2 presence was detected in 27/179 (15.1%) of samples. A median viral concentration of 1.1 × 10 2 and 1.4 × 10 2 g.c./g was obtained using either Orf1b nsp14 or RdRp/gene E, respectively. Positive results were unevenly distributed among harvesting areas and over time, positive samples being more frequent after January 2021. Partial sequencing of the spike region was achieved for five samples, one of which displaying mutations characteristic of the Alpha variant (lineage B.1.1.7). This study confirms that bivalve mollusks may bioaccumulate SARS-CoV-2 to detectable levels and that they may represent a valuable approach to track SARS-CoV-2 in water bodies and to monitor outbreak trends and viral diversity.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; bivalve; shellfish; PCR; variant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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