We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Optimization and Application of a Multiplex Digital PCR Assay for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in Belgian Influent Wastewater.
- Authors
Boogaerts, Tim; Van den Bogaert, Siel; Van Poelvoorde, Laura A. E.; El Masri, Diala; De Roeck, Naomi; Roosens, Nancy H. C.; Lesenfants, Marie; Lahousse, Lies; Van Hoorde, Koenraad; van Nuijs, Alexander L. N.; Delputte, Peter
- Abstract
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) of SARS-CoV-2 has been used as a complementary indicator to follow up on the trends in the COVID-19 spread in Belgium and in many other countries. To further develop the use of WBE, a multiplex digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) assay was optimized, validated and applied for the measurement of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) in influent wastewater (IWW) samples. Key mutations were targeted in the different VOC strains, including SΔ69/70 deletion, N501Y, SΔ241 and SΔ157. The presented bioanalytical method was able to distinguish between SARS-CoV-2 RNA originating from the wild-type and B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and B.1.617.2 variants. The dPCR assay proved to be sensitive enough to detect low concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in IWW since the limit of detection of the different targets ranged between 0.3 and 2.9 copies/µL. This developed WBE approach was applied to IWW samples originating from different Belgian locations and was able to monitor spatio-temporal changes in the presence of targeted VOC strains in the investigated communities. The present dPCR assay developments were realized to bring added-value to the current national WBE of COVID-19 by also having the spatio-temporal proportions of the VoC in presence in the wastewaters.
- Subjects
BELGIUM; INDUSTRIAL Workers of the World; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant; POLYMERASE chain reaction; SEWAGE; COVID-19 pandemic
- Publication
Viruses (1999-4915), 2022, Vol 14, Issue 3, p610
- ISSN
1999-4915
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/v14030610