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Omicron and Delta variant prevalence detection and identification during the fourth COVID-19 wave in Mexico using wastewater-based epidemiology

2023; Elsevier BV; Volume: 10; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ijregi.2023.11.005

2772-7076

Alberto Aguayo-Acosta, Mariel Araceli Oyervides-Muñoz, Kassandra O. Rodríguez-Aguillón, Antonio Ovalle-Carcaño, Kenya D. Romero‐Castillo, Alejandro Robles‐Zamora, Marc C. Johnson, Roberto Parra‐Saldívar, Juan Eduardo Sosa‐Hernández,

Biosensors and Analytical Detection

To identify the SARS-CoV-2 variants Delta and Omicron during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico using samples taken from 19 locations in 18 out of the 32 states. The genetic material concentration was done with PEG/NaCl precipitation, SARS-CoV-2 presence was confirmed by RT-qPCR assay, the variant detection was carried out using a commercial mutation detection panel kit, and variant/mutation confirmation was done by amplicon sequencing of RBD target region. The study used 41 samples. The Delta variant was confirmed in two samples during August 2021 (Queretaro and CDMX) and in three samples during November 2021 (Aguascalientes, Ciudad Juárez campuses, and Nuevo Leon). In December 2021, another sample with the Delta variant was confirmed in Nuevo Leon. Between January to March 2022 only the presence of Omicron was confirmed, (variant BA.1). Additionally, in this period six samples were identified with the status "Variant Not Determined". To our knowledge, this study is one the first to identify Omicron and Delta variants with PCR in Mexico and Latin America and its distribution across the country with 56% Mexican states making it a viable alternative for variant detection without making large quantity of sequencing of clinical tests.