High Species C Human Adenovirus Genome Copy Numbers in the Treated Water Supply of a Neotropical Area of the Central-West Region of Brazil

• Published in: Food and environmental virology Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 286 - 294
• Main Authors: Silva, Hugo D., Fongaro, Gislaine, Garcíazapata, Marco T. A., Melo, Arthur T. O., Silveira-Lacerda, Elisângela P., de Faria, Karla M. S., Anunciação, Carlos E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-09-2015
• Subjects: Adenoviruses, Human - classification; Adenoviruses, Human - genetics; Adenoviruses, Human - isolation & purification; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brazil; Chemistry/Food Science; DNA, Viral - genetics; Environmental Monitoring; Food Science; Fresh Water - virology; Gene Dosage; Genome, Viral; Humans; Original Paper; Virology; Water Pollution - analysis; Water Purification; Water Supply; Brazil; QPCR; Drinking water; Sequencing; Human adenovirus
• ISSN: 1867-0334; 1867-0342
• DOI: 10.1007/s12560-015-9192-6

There is little information about the presence of human adenovirus (HAdV) in drinking water in Neotropical regions. Thus, the present study sought to conduct quantification and molecular characterization of HAdVs detected in treated water samples from an area of the Cerrado ecoregion of Brazil. Between August and November 2012, samples were collected from four treated water reservoirs and their respective sites along the water distribution network of the city of Goiânia, for a total of 80 samples. All samples were concentrated and analyzed by qPCR, and selected samples were sequenced. Overall, 76.6 (10⁰–10⁹ GC mL⁻¹) and 37.5 % (10¹–10⁸ GC mL⁻¹) of samples drawn from reservoirs and their distribution sites, respectively, were positive for virus by qPCR. All samples selected for sequencing were characterized as species C human adenovirus. Such high HAdV counts have in treated water samples. This finding merits special attention, particularly from the sanitation authorities, because the high number of GC mL⁻¹ may be an indicative of risk to human health.