The aim of this study was to assess the presence and seasonal frequency of various enteric viruses in wastewater treatment. The detection of astrovirus, norovirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and rotavirus was carried out by molecular analyses in concentrated water samples collected over 18 months at the entrance and exit of an activated sludge sewage treatment plant. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results were confirmed by sequencing, and comparative phylogenetic analysis was performed on the isolated strains. Genomes of human astrovirus and human rotavirus were identified in 26/29 and 11/29 samples of raw sewage, respectively, and in 12/29 and 13/29 treated effluent samples, respectively. Some rotavirus sequences detected in environmental samples were very close to those of clinical strains. Noroviruses, enteroviruses and HAV were not detected during the study period. This could be related to the small sample volume, to the sensitivity of the detection methods or to local epidemiological situations. Frequent detection of viral RNA, whether infectious or not, in the exit effluent of sewage treatment indicates wide dispersion of enteric viruses in the environment. Consequently, viral contamination resulting from the use of these treated waters is a risk that needs to be addressed.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
March 01 2008
An epidemiological study of enteric viruses in sewage with molecular characterization by RT-PCR and sequence analysis
A. Arraj;
A. Arraj
1Laboratoire de biologie comparée des Protistes, Université Blaise Pascal, Aubière et Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université d'Auvergne, UMR CNRS 6023, Clermont-Ferrand, France
2Service d'Hygiène Hospitalière and Laboratoire de Virologie – EA 3843 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Auvergne, place Henri Dunant, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Search for other works by this author on:
J. Bohatier;
J. Bohatier
1Laboratoire de biologie comparée des Protistes, Université Blaise Pascal, Aubière et Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université d'Auvergne, UMR CNRS 6023, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Search for other works by this author on:
C. Aumeran;
C. Aumeran
2Service d'Hygiène Hospitalière and Laboratoire de Virologie – EA 3843 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Auvergne, place Henri Dunant, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Search for other works by this author on:
J. L. Bailly;
J. L. Bailly
2Service d'Hygiène Hospitalière and Laboratoire de Virologie – EA 3843 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Auvergne, place Henri Dunant, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Search for other works by this author on:
H. Laveran;
H. Laveran
2Service d'Hygiène Hospitalière and Laboratoire de Virologie – EA 3843 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Auvergne, place Henri Dunant, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Search for other works by this author on:
O. Traoré
2Service d'Hygiène Hospitalière and Laboratoire de Virologie – EA 3843 – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université d'Auvergne, place Henri Dunant, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Tel.: (33) 4 73 17 81 25 Fax: (33) 4 73 26 54 32; E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
J Water Health (2008) 6 (3): 351–358.
Article history
Received:
April 04 2007
Accepted:
July 24 2007
Citation
A. Arraj, J. Bohatier, C. Aumeran, J. L. Bailly, H. Laveran, O. Traoré; An epidemiological study of enteric viruses in sewage with molecular characterization by RT-PCR and sequence analysis. J Water Health 1 September 2008; 6 (3): 351–358. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2008.053
Download citation file: