Occurrence and distribution of culturable enteroviruses in wastewater and surface waters of north-eastern Spain

Abstract

Aims: Update information regarding occurrence and levels of culturable enteroviruses in several types of surface polluted waters in north‐eastern Spain and determine the proportion of the different species and serotypes. Methods and Results: The best procedures on hand in our laboratory for concentrating and quantifying culturable enteroviruses from different water sample types were used. Sequencing was used for typing the virus isolates. Geometric means of enteroviruses densities expressed in plaque forming units per litre were 968 in raw sewage, 12·51 in secondary effluents, 0·017 in tertiary effluents, 0·4 in river water and 0·36 in seawater. Enterovirus densities in wastewater revealed certain seasonality with a maximum at the end of spring – beginning of the summer. Coxsackievirus B, and amid them serotype CB4, were the most abundant species and serotypes detected. Conclusions: Densities of enteroviruses in different north‐eastern Spain surface waters are similar to those present in industrialized countries with temperate climate. No wild polioviruses were detected. Distribution of species showed a clear prevalence of coxsackieviruses. Significance and Impact of the Study: Information regarding enteroviruses in this geographical area provides valuable information to estimate the risk of enteroviruses transmission through water and for complementing clinical epidemiological data.

Sporadic Isolation of Sabin-Like Polioviruses and High-Level Detection of Non-Polio Enteroviruses during Sewage Surveillance in Seven Italian Cities, after Several Years of Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccination

“…In contrast, only a few recent investigations have been performed using detailed serotyping of enterovirus strains in Italian wastewaters (32,33,34,52) compared to a higher number of similar studies reported from other countries (53,54,55,56,57,58).…”

Laboratory Surveillance of Polio and Other Enteroviruses in High-Risk Populations and Environmental Samples

“…Environmental surveillance in Greece revealed echoviruses to be the most frequently isolated, followed by CVBs. CVBs have generally been reported to be the most frequently isolated EVs from environmental samples worldwide (25)(26)(27). It is noteworthy that of the 26 EV serotypes isolated from stool samples, only six were detected in sewage water samples, all belonging to species B.…”

Polioviruses and other Enteroviruses

“…This sludge contains enteric pathogens and needs to be properly treated for recycling or disposal (discussed below in Section III). Multiple levels of wastewater treatment (preliminary, primary, secondary, and tertiary or advanced) and combination of their corresponding treatment technologies are required to consistently reduce, remove and/or inactivate the vast numbers of viruses present in all the wastes sent into the sewer from drains and toilets (Costan-Longares et al, 2008;Haramoto and Otagiri, 2013;Harwood et al, 2005;Hegazy et al, 2013;Katayama et al, 2008;Kitajima et al, 2014a; Rock et al, 2015;Simmons and Xagoraraki, 2011a;Symonds et al, 2014). The greater the exposure of the public to these contaminated sources, the greater the need for treatment to reduce all viral pathogens and hazardous contaminants present in these wastes (Gerba et al, 2013;Rock et al, 2015;Xagoraraki et al, 2014).…”