Detection and Characterization of Waterborne Gastroenteritis Viruses in Urban Sewage and Sewage-Polluted River Waters in Caracas, Venezuela

Abstract

The detection and molecular characterization of pathogenic human viruses in urban sewage have been used extensively to derive information on circulating viruses in given populations throughout the world. In this study, a similar approach was applied to provide an overview of the epidemiology of waterborne gastroenteritis viruses circulating in urban areas of Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela in South America. Dry season sampling was conducted in sewers and in a major river severely polluted with urban sewage discharges. Nested PCR was used for detection of human adenoviruses (HAds), while reverse transcription plus nested or seminested PCR was used for detection of enteroviruses (HuEVs), rotaviruses (HRVs), noroviruses (HuNoVs), and astroviruses (HAstVs). HRVs were fully characterized with genotype-specific primers for VP4 (genotype P), VP7 (genotype G), and the rotavirus nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4). HuNoVs and HAstVs were characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The detection rates of all viruses were >50%, and all sampling events were positive for at least one of the pathogenic viruses studied. The predominant HRV types found were G1, P[8], P[4], and NSP4A and -B. Genogroup II of HuNoVs and HAstV type 8 were frequently detected in sewage and sewage-polluted river waters. This study reveals relevant epidemiological data on the distribution and persistence of human pathogenic viruses in sewage-polluted waters and addresses the potential health risks associated with transmission of these viruses through water-related environmental routes.

Aetiology, epidemiology and clinical characteristics of acute moderate-to-severe diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age hospitalized in a referral paediatric hospital in Rabat, Morocco

“…Nucleic acid for viral studies was extracted using a commercial kit (MagMax total nucleic acid isolation kit; Applied Biosystems). Detection and genotyping of rotavirus was performed following the procedures of Rodríguez-Díaz et al (2009). Detection of sapovirus, norovirus and astrovirus was carried out using the primers described by Yan et al (2003) with a multiplex Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR using the standard conditions described in a commercial kit (Superscript III one step RT-PCR; Invitrogen, Genome Biotechnologies).…”

Diverse norovirus genotypes identified in sewage-polluted river water in South Africa

“…The presence and diversity of NoVs in surface water has been described in Asia [12,13], Europe [14] and South America [15,16]. However, no investigations have addressed the occurrence and molecular epidemiology of NoVs in surface water, or other water sources, in SA.…”

Vaccine preventable viral diseases and risks associated with waterborne transmission

“…It has long been known that rotavirus passing through urban waste-water treatment plants is only subject to partial viral load reduction before proceeding into receiving environmental water [41,42]. Also, it is noteworthy that rotavirus is stable in contaminated food, fomites and environmental matrices, and is resistant to disinfection [43].…”