IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i8p4851-d795430.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

High Sensitivity and Specificity of Dormitory-Level Wastewater Surveillance for COVID-19 during Fall Semester 2020 at Syracuse University, New York

Author

Listed:
  • Alex Godinez

    (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA)

  • Dustin Hill

    (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA)

  • Bryan Dandaraw

    (Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA)

  • Hyatt Green

    (Department of Environmental Biology, College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA)

  • Pruthvi Kilaru

    (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
    College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA)

  • Frank Middleton

    (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA)

  • Sythong Run

    (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA)

  • Brittany L. Kmush

    (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA)

  • David A. Larsen

    (David B. Falk College of Sports and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA)

Abstract

A residential building’s wastewater presents a potential non-invasive method of surveilling numerous infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed wastewater from 16 different residential locations at Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY, USA) during fall semester 2020, testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA twice weekly and compared the presence of clinical COVID-19 cases to detection of the viral RNA in wastewater. The sensitivity of wastewater surveillance to correctly identify dormitories with a case of COVID-19 ranged from 95% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 76–100%) on the same day as the case was diagnosed to 73% (95% CI = 53–92%), with 7 days lead time of wastewater. The positive predictive value ranged from 20% (95% CI = 13–30%) on the same day as the case was diagnosed to 50% (95% CI = 40–60%) with 7 days lead time. The specificity of wastewater surveillance to correctly identify dormitories without a case of COVID-19 ranged from 60% (95% CI = 52–67%) on the day of the wastewater sample to 67% (95% CI = 58–74%) with 7 days lead time. The negative predictive value ranged from 99% (95% CI = 95–100%) on the day of the wastewater sample to 84% (95% CI = 77–91%) with 7 days lead time. Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 at the building level is highly accurate in determining if residents have a COVID-19 infection. Particular benefit is derived from negative wastewater results that can confirm a building is COVID-19 free.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Godinez & Dustin Hill & Bryan Dandaraw & Hyatt Green & Pruthvi Kilaru & Frank Middleton & Sythong Run & Brittany L. Kmush & David A. Larsen, 2022. "High Sensitivity and Specificity of Dormitory-Level Wastewater Surveillance for COVID-19 during Fall Semester 2020 at Syracuse University, New York," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4851-:d:795430
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/8/4851/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/8/4851/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sasha Harris-Lovett & Kara L. Nelson & Paloma Beamer & Heather N. Bischel & Aaron Bivins & Andrea Bruder & Caitlyn Butler & Todd D. Camenisch & Susan K. De Long & Smruthi Karthikeyan & David A. Larsen, 2021. "Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 on College Campuses: Initial Efforts, Lessons Learned, and Research Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-20, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mitchell D. Ramuta & Christina M. Newman & Savannah F. Brakefield & Miranda R. Stauss & Roger W. Wiseman & Amanda Kita-Yarbro & Eli J. O’Connor & Neeti Dahal & Ailam Lim & Keith P. Poulsen & Nasia Saf, 2022. "SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens are detected in continuous air samples from congregate settings," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Jeffrey L. Ram & William Shuster & Lance Gable & Carrie L. Turner & James Hartrick & Adrian A. Vasquez & Nicholas W. West & Azadeh Bahmani & Randy E. David, 2023. "Wastewater Monitoring for Infectious Disease: Intentional Relationships between Academia, the Private Sector, and Local Health Departments for Public Health Preparedness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Katherine I. Brenner & Bryan Walser & Joseph Cooper & Sunny Jiang, 2024. "Wastewater-Based Surveillance Reveals the Effectiveness of the First COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns in Assisted Living Facilities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(9), pages 1-12, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4851-:d:795430. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.