Environmental ePIdemiology of COVID-19 in French Guiana: combining eDNA and biogeography to forecast future epidemiological waves – EPI-COV
Environmental epidemiology of Covid-19 in French Guiana
The speed of the spread of Covid-19 underscores the need to improve our understanding of the epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in the population. Wastewater analysis is a sentinel tool to assess the scale and evolution of the epidemic, but also to anticipate an influx of cases in hospitals or health centers. The project also aims to identify the diversity of variants circulating in Guyana.
Epidemic and dynamic monitoring of variants in space and time
Since its emergence in Wuhan, China in 2019, the speed of the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with a lack of scientific and medical knowledge, underscores the need to improve our understanding of the epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 within the population. In addition to the need to quickly identify and isolate people infected with the virus, the analysis of wastewater represents a sentinel tool making it possible to assess the scale and evolution of the epidemic but also to anticipate an influx. cases in hospitals or health centers.<br /><br />Already used throughout the world for monitoring other infectious emergencies (polio, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, etc.) the analysis of wastewater for monitoring the Covid-19 epidemic has been developed and validated by the national network OBEPINE last March and is now widely used throughout the country. Indeed, studies have shown that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is excreted by symptomatic and asymptomatic people and therefore ends up in wastewater. The EPI-COV project will therefore use a simple and easy-to-implement tool (environmental DNA technique) in order to monitor in space and time the presence and concentration of the virus in wastewater in tropical areas in French Guiana. In addition to monitoring the viral load in wastewater, the project also aims to identify the diversity of variants circulating in Guyanese territory.<br /><br />On the other hand, RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, are required to mutate (acquire genetic modifications) frequently, allowing them to fight and escape the immune system of their host or even drugs or drugs. vaccines. This is why it is essential not only to monitor the evolution of the number of cases but also to identify the different genetic variants circulating in the population in order to prevent the risk of the emergence of new variants.<br />1) Monitor the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic in wastewater in French Guiana;<br />2) Identify the variants circulating in wastewater as well as their dynamics in space and time
Use of the viral particle concentration and extraction protocol set up by the OBEPINE network; Adaptation of the ARTIC protocol for the detection of SARS-Cov-2 variants in wastewater
Detection of Covid-19 positive wastewater sampling sites, monitoring of the epidemic via wastewater analysis. Detection of variants through the use of the ARTIC protocol by slight modifications of this protocol.
Wastewater monitoring until July 2021; Sequencing of environmental and clinical samples from February to July 2021
The EPI-COV project was presented and valued as follows:
10/12/2020: Launch of the EPI-COV project in Guyana. Cayenne IRD Center WEB site:
www.ird.fr/epidemiologie-environnementale-du-covid-19-en-guyane-francaise
10/15/2020: Scientific days of GIS IRISTA “COVID-19 Research and Health in Guyana and elsewhere”. Presentation by Marine COMBE «Anticipating the emergence of infectious diseases thanks to environmental DNA - EPI-COV project«
Present: Prefect of Guyana, CTG, ARS, President of the University of Guyana, Press (Guyana the 1st)
10/15/2020: Interview with Marine COMBE Guyane the 1st (radio show)
10/20/2020: Interview with Marine COMBE and Jean-Claude DOUDOU Guyane the 1st (TV show, report by Sébastien Laporte):
la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/guyane/l-ird-lance-des-analyses-pour-surveiller-la-presence-de-covid-19-dans-les-eaux-usees-884666.html
10/23/2020: franceinfo, 2 p.m .: 5 p.m. (TV report by Sophie Le saint)
10/23/2020: France 3, L’info overseas (TV report by Kelly Pujar and Marie Radovic)
The 27/10/2020: Outremers 360 ° C: www.outremers360.com/bassin-atlantique-appli/covid-19-lird-a-lance-une-etude-pour-detecter-la-covid- 19-in-the-waste-from-guyana
The unprecedented speed of COVID-19 pandemic associated with the lack of medical and scientific knowledge about this epidemic, highlights the urgent need in improving our understanding of the virus’s epidemiological dynamics and the necessity to integrate the natural environment in disease epidemiology. As such, EPI-COV aims at 1) performing an environmental monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in urban and peri-urban wastewater in French Guiana, South America, 2) identify the virus’s presence and diversity in the surrounding environment of susceptible-infected-recovered people and 3) identify environmental and socio-economic factors potentially involved in COVID-19 emergence. EPI-COV is pioneer at using technologies belonging to disciplines such as ecology and biogeography and using a OneHealth/EcoHealth approach to the understanding of COVID-19 epidemiology. The results obtained in EPI-COV will allow the development of easy, rapid and non-invasive epidemiological indicators of the circulation of the virus in the human population, to go ahead of current epidemiological studies in identifying areas at risk of COVID-19 emergence and propose easy models to forecast future epidemiological waves at a local but more importantly global scale.
Project coordination
Marine COMBE (UMR I-SEM 5554, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement)
The author of this summary is the project coordinator, who is responsible for the content of this summary. The ANR declines any responsibility as for its contents.
Partnership
CNRS Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
IRD UMR I-SEM 5554, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Help of the ANR 149,482 euros
Beginning and duration of the scientific project:
September 2020
- 12 Months
