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A sensitive and rapid wastewater test for SARS-COV-2 and its use for the early detection of a cluster of cases in a remote community
Preprint
in English
| medRxiv
| ID: ppmedrxiv-21262039
Journal article
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A scientific journal published article is available and is probably based on this preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See journal article
ABSTRACT
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance has been used to monitor trends in SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in the community. A major challenge in establishing wastewater surveillance programs, especially in remote areas, is the need for a well-equipped laboratory for sample analysis. Currently, no options exist for rapid, sensitive, mobile, and easy-to-use wastewater tests for SARS-CoV-2. The performance of the GeneXpert System, which offers cartridge-based, rapid molecular clinical testing for SARS-CoV-2 in a portable platform, was evaluated using wastewater as the input. The GeneXpert demonstrated a SARS-CoV-2 limit of detection in wastewater below 32 copies/mL with a sample processing time of less than an hour. Using wastewater samples collected from multiple sites across Canada during February and March 2021, a high overall agreement (97.8%) was observed between the GeneXpert assay and laboratory-developed tests regarding the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, with the use of centrifugal filters the detection threshold of the GeneXpert system was improved to <10 copies/mL in wastewater. Finally, to support on-site wastewater surveillance, GeneXpert testing was implemented in Yellowknife, a remote community in Northern Canada where its use successfully alerted public health authorities to undetected transmission of COVID-19. The identification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater triggered clinical testing of recent travelers and identification of new COVID-19 cases/clusters. Taken together, these results suggest the GeneXpert is a viable option for surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in locations that do not have access to established testing laboratories.
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Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
medRxiv
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental_studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document type:
Preprint