A Review of the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater: Transmission Risks in Mexico

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 14; p. 8354
• Main Authors: Herazo, Mayerlin Sandoval, Nani, Graciela, Zurita, Florentina, Nakase, Carlos, Zamora, Sergio, Herazo, Luis Carlos Sandoval, Betanzo-Torres, Erick Arturo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 08-07-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Aerosols; Bioindicators; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Disease transmission; Drinking water; Feces; Health risks; Humans; Mexico - epidemiology; Municipal wastewater; Public health; Review; RNA, Viral; Rural areas; Sanitation; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Sewage; Statistical analysis; Treated water; Urban areas; Viruses; Wastewater; Wastewater analysis; Wastewater treatment; Wastewater treatment plants; Water; Water treatment; Web portals; Mexico; COVID-19; epidemiology of wastewater; municipal wastewater; risks of transmission; virus transmission
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148354

The appearance of SARS-CoV-2 represented a new health threat to humanity and affected millions of people; the transmission of this virus occurs through different routes, and one of them recently under debate in the international community is its possible incorporation and spread by sewage. Therefore, the present work's research objectives are to review the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater throughout the world and to analyze the coverage of wastewater treatment in Mexico to determine if there is a correlation between the positive cases of COVID-19 and the percentages of treated wastewater in Mexico as well as to investigate the evidence of possible transmission by aerosol sand untreated wastewater. Methodologically, a quick search of scientific literature was performed to identify evidence the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (ribonucleic acid) in wastewater in four international databases. The statistical information of the positive cases of COVID-19 was obtained from data from the Health Secretary of the Mexican Government and the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The information from the wastewater treatment plants in Mexico was obtained from official information of the National Water Commission of Mexico. The results showed sufficient evidence that SARS-CoV-2 remains alive in municipal wastewater in Mexico. Our analysis indicates that there is a low but significant correlation between the percentage of treated water and positive cases of coronavirus r = -0.385, with IC (95%) = (-0.647, -0.042) and
= 0.030; this result should be taken with caution because wastewater is not a transmission mechanism, but this finding is useful to highlight the need to increase the percentage of treated wastewater and to do it efficiently. In conclusions, the virus is present in untreated wastewater, and the early detection of SAR-CoV-2 could serve as a bioindicator method of the presence of the virus. This could be of great help to establish surveillance measures by zones to take preventive actions, which to date have not been considered by the Mexican health authorities. Unfortunately, wastewater treatment systems in Mexico are very fragile, and coverage is limited to urban areas and non-existent in rural areas. Furthermore, although the probability of contagion is relatively low, it can be a risk for wastewater treatment plant workers and people who are close to them.