Wastewater Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Bangladesh: Opportunities and Challenges

Overview

Journal Curr Opin Environ Sci Health

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2022 Apr 18

PMID 35434440

Authors

Rehnuma Haque

Christine L Moe

Suraja J Raj

Li Ong

Katrina Charles

Allen G Ross

Tahmina Shirin

Rubhana Raqib

Protim Sarker

Mohammed Ziaur Rahman

Nuhu Amin

Zahid Hayat Mahmud

Mahbubur Rahman

Dara Johnston

Nargis Akter

Taqsem A Khan

Md Alamgir Hossain

Rezaul Hasan

M Tahmidul Islam

Prosun Bhattacharya

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health crisis of global concern. The progression of the COVID-19 pandemic has been monitored in the first place by testing symptomatic individuals for SARS-CoV-2 virus in the respiratory samples. Concurrently, wastewater carries feces, urine, and sputum that potentially contains SARS-CoV-2 intact virus or partially damaged viral genetic materials excreted by infected individuals. This brings significant opportunities for understanding the infection dynamics by environmental surveillance. It has advantages for the country, especially in densely populated areas where individual clinical testing is difficult. However, there are several challenges including: 1) establishing a sampling plan and schedule that is representative of the various catchment populations 2) development and validation of standardized protocols for the laboratory analysis 3) understanding hydraulic flows and virus transport in complex wastewater drainage systems and 4) collaborative efforts from government agencies, NGOs, public health units and academia.

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