Wastewater Surveillance for Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities, Kentucky, USA, 2021-2022

Overview

Journal Emerg Infect Dis

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2024 Feb 26

PMID 38407144

Authors

James W Keck

Reuben Adatorwovor

Matthew Liversedge

Blazan Mijotavich

Cullen Olsson

William D Strike

Atena Amirsoleimani

Ann Noble

Soroosh Torabi

Alexus Rockward

Mohammad Dehghan Banadaki

Ted Smith

Parker Lacy

Scott M Berry

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Persons living in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. We used wastewater surveillance to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection in this setting by collecting and testing 24-hour composite wastewater samples 2-4 times weekly at 6 LTCFs in Kentucky, USA, during March 2021-February 2022. The LTCFs routinely tested staff and symptomatic and exposed residents for SARS-CoV-2 using rapid antigen tests. Of 780 wastewater samples analyzed, 22% (n = 173) had detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The LTCFs reported 161 positive (of 16,905) SARS-CoV-2 clinical tests. The wastewater SARS-CoV-2 signal showed variable correlation with clinical test data; we observed the strongest correlations in the LTCFs with the most positive clinical tests (n = 45 and n = 58). Wastewater surveillance was 48% sensitive and 80% specific in identifying SARS-CoV-2 infections found on clinical testing, which was limited by frequency, coverage, and rapid antigen test performance.

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