Removal of Astrovirus from Water and Sewage Treatment Plants, Evaluated by a Competitive Reverse Transcription-PCR

Abstract

Quantification of human astrovirus genogroups A and B was undertaken with sewage and water samples, collected from the Greater Cairo area in Egypt from November 1998 to October 1999, by a competitive reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with an internal control. The number of RNA copies of genogroup A/liter in quantifiable samples ranged from 3.4 × 103 to 5.6 × 106 in raw sewage and from 3.4 × 103 to 1.1 × 104 in treated effluents, while the number of infectious units per liter in these samples as determined by cell culture RT-PCR (CC-RT-PCR U/liter) ranged from 3.3 × 101 to 3.3 × 103 in raw sewage and was 3.3 × 100 in treated effluents. On the other hand, the number of RNA copies/liter in quantifiable genogroup B samples ranged from 1.1 × 104 to 8.7 × 106 in raw sewage and from 1.1 × 103 to 6.2 × 105 in treated effluents, while the number of infectious units ranged from 3.3 × 101 to 3.3 × 105 CC-RT-PCR U/liter in raw sewage and from 3.3 × 101 to 3.3 × 102 CC-RT-PCR U/liter in treated effluents. These higher numbers of both RNA copies/liter and infectious particles of genogroup B may indicate the emergence of genogroup B in the area. Additionally, genogroup B astrovirus exhibited a higher resistance to removal treatments with regard to the number of RNA copies per ml. When the equipment for real-time approaches is unavailable, a competitive PCR or RT-PCR with an internal control may be employed for virus quantification in validations of the efficiency of virus removal treatments.

Prevalence of Rotaviruses Groups A and C in Egyptian Children and Aquatic Environment

“…It may be because of the very low number of the viral genome. Infectious units of enteric viruses are usually 2-3 log 10 lower than genome copies in Egyptian sewage or Nile water samples (El-Senousy et al 2007;El-Senousy et al 2013a). Another reason may be the low sensitivity of MA104 cell line to the infectivity of rotavirus group C. Rotavirus group A genome copy numbers in the final chlorinated sewage effluents ranged from 9 9 10 to 9 9 10 3 genome copies/l, while the number of infectious units in the same samples ranged from 1 9 10 to 6 9 10 infectious units/l.…”

“…Rotavirus CC-RT-PCR assay was performed according to Abad et al (1997), El-Senousy et al (2007), and Ghazy et al (2008). The assay was performed on suspensions of infected MA104 cells.…”

Aetiology and epidemiology of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks in Catalonia (Spain) in 2004–2005

“…Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for norovirus and astrovirus (IDEIA TM Norovirus, IDEIA TM Astrovirus and DakoCytomation), rotavirus and enteric adenovirus (IDV Rotavirus-96, IDV Adenovirus-96 and Izasa) were performed on stool specimens. Additionally, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection was performed as previously described (Allard et al, 1992;Guix et al, 2002;Morsy El-Senousy et al, 2007;Vinje and Koopmans, 1996;Villena et al, 2003). Norovirus genotyping was performed by sequencing the amplimers obtained with the JV12/JV13 pair of primers.…”

Wastewater Analysis Indicates that Genetically Diverse Astroviruses, Including Strains Belonging to Novel Clades MLB and VA, Are Circulating within Japanese Populations

“…A difference in the stability of different AstVs in the environment has been suggested. For example, Morsy El-Senousy et al (42) reported that genogroup B classic HAstVs (types 6 and 7) are more resistant to wastewater treatments than other classic HAstV genogroups. In our current study, however, this genogroup was not detected in wastewater (Fig.…”