Technical guide for the detection of SARS-COV-2 and hepatitis A virus in wastewater from the cities of Bucaramanga, Cúcuta and Valledupar as a predictive strategy for outbreaks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/2346030X.5892Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis A, COVID-19, wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance, standardizationAbstract
The objective of this study is to develop technical guidelines for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and the hepatitis A virus (HAV) in wastewater, with the aim of standardizing criterio for epidemiological monitoring in Colombia. This is based on three main foundations: the current regulatory framework, the research team’s experience, and available scientific literature. The study was conducted using a longitudinal descriptive design, based on an experimental model previously described in documents by Hata, with adaptations of the Berlin-Charité protocol currently used by the National Institute of Health. To this end,sampling was conducted in sewer networks and wastewater treatment plants in Cúcuta, Bucaramanga, and Valledupar. The samples underwent laboratory processes such as viral concentration and molecular analysis via RT-qPCR, a technique frequently used for the detection of viruses in environmental matrices.
Based on the regulatory, methodological, and technical review conducted during the study, the importance of having standardized procedures that integrate the stages of sampling, flow measurement, sample processing, and analysis was identified. In this context, the technical guide developed brings together operational and analytical criteria aimed at wastewater-based epidemiological surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and HAV. Its application is relevant to the Colombian context, given the circulation of hepatitis A and the circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Standardizing these procedures can enhance the comparability of results obtained across different monitoring sites and support epidemiological surveillance efforts. Currently, experimental validation of the protocol is ongoing, a phase that will allow for the evaluation of its performance and the implementation of necessary adjustments for its deployment.
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