Wastewater-based epidemiology: a new frontier for tracking environmental persistence and community transmission of COVID-19

Recent research in many parts of the world has pointed towards evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in both treated and raw municipal wastewater discharged by communities. Therefore, concerns regarding it being a possible enteric virus are abundant. Past history of SARS-CoV-1 outbreaks and viral survival information helps in establishing information regarding possible viral infectivity and survival of SARS-CoV-2. The paper examines the existing strategies and techniques including the efficacy of laboratory-based RT-qPCR technique for tracking environmental persistence and community transmission of COVID-19. Analysis of studies targeting untreated and treated wastewater as source of samples is carried out. The analysis shows that untreated samples were mostly positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the target studies. Infectivity estimation from viral load data was found to be about two orders of magnitude higher than actual case data in one of the studies. Additionally, relevant research on environmental survivability of SARS-CoV-2 and possible gaps are examined. Biosensors and excretion metabolite tracking in viral detection are also examined, which hold tremendous importance for future research. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) shows incredible promise in the near future for tracking environmental persistence and community transmission of highly infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2. With limited research available on SARS-CoV-2 with regard to WBE, it is imperative that focus be established on the evidence-based targeted studies.