First Molecular Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Sewage and Wastewater in Ghana.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected in sewage and wastewater contaminated with infected stool. This study is aimed at detecting the virus and its potential survival in sewage and wastewater in Ghana. The cross-sectional study included samples from 16 validated environmental surveillance sites in 7 regions of Ghana. A total of 354 samples composed of wastewater (280) and sewage (74) were collected from November 2020 to November 2022. Overall, 17% of the samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR, with 6% in sewage and 11% in wastewater. The highest number of positive samples was collected from the Greater Accra Region (7.3%) with the least recorded in the Bono East Region (0.6%). Further characterization of the positive samples using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach yielded two variants: Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (AY.36). Attempts to isolate SARS-CoV-2 in the Vero cell line were not successful probably due to the low viral load concentrations (Ct values > 35) or prolonged exposure to high temperatures rendering the virus noninfectious. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage and wastewater may not be infectious, but the prevalence shows that the virus persists in the communities within Ghana.

Prevalence and genetic variance of Taenia hydatigena in goats and sheep from northern Ghana: Preliminary data on a globally neglected livestock parasite.

Cysticercosis caused by the larval stages of Taenia hydatigena has a significant global impact on livestock production, particularly of goats and sheep. Despite this, global data on prevalence and genetic variance of this parasite are still scarce. In Ghana, as in most African countries, numerous anecdotal observations agree that it is widespread and frequent. To obtain baseline data, we screened 251 goats and 248 sheep in northern Ghana (Upper East Region) for T. hydatigena metacestode and molecularly characterized the isolates using the mtDNA cox1 gene sequence. Prevalence was 58.57% in goats and 60.48% in sheep, confirming the abundance of this parasite in the region. Gene sequences revealed high diversity (π 0.00346, hd 0.809) and significant negative Tajima D and Fu's Fs values, a characteristic of a population experiencing an expansion after a recent bottleneck. This is the first account of the genetic structure of T. hydatigena in Ghana, intended as a basis for subsequent studies in the region.