Emerging Viruses in Sewage Sludge and Soils

ABSTRACT

Human pathogenic viruses can be introduced into sewage sludge and soils via fecal material from a variety of human activities. These contaminated matrices can play a substantial role in the dispersion of pathogenic viruses in the environment, constituting a potential public health problem if they enter the water cycle or the food chain. However, the interactions between pathogenic viruses and these matrices have received less attention compared to other environmental compartments. Understanding the presence of viruses, their persistence and fate in solid or semi-solid matrices like sludge and soil is important for the effective control of the infections they may cause. In this chapter, we summarize current knowledge about human pathogenic viruses in sewage sludge and soil, their importance in public health, and the factors that govern their transport and persistence in soil matrices. We also review the occurrence and variety of common and emerging viruses excreted in the feces and their presence in sewage sludge and soil, as well as the potential use of certain viruses as indicators of fecal pollution. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.