Detection and molecular characterization of enteric viruses in environmental samples in Monastir, Tunisia between January 2003 and April 2007

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology Vol. 109; no. 3; pp. 1093 - 1104
• Main Authors: Sdiri-Loulizi, K, Hassine, M, Aouni, Z, Gharbi-Khelifi, H, Chouchane, S, Sakly, N, Neji-Guédiche, M, Pothier, P, Aouni, M, Ambert-Balay, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-09-2010; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell; Wiley
• Subjects: Adenoviridae; Adenoviridae - genetics; Adenoviridae - isolation & purification; Adenovirus; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Child; detection; environment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenteritis - virology; Group a rotavirus; Humans; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Microbiology and Parasitology; Norovirus; Norovirus - genetics; Norovirus - isolation & purification; Prospective Studies; Reoviridae; Rotavirus; Rotavirus - genetics; Rotavirus - isolation & purification; Sewage - virology; Shellfish - virology; Tunisia; Virology; Viruses - classification; Viruses - isolation & purification; Water Microbiology; Water Pollution; Tunisia; MED, Tunisia; Africa; Adenoviridae; Rotavirus; Applied microbiology; Sample; Reoviridae; Characterization; Virus; Analysis method; norovirus; adenovirus; Environment; Detection; Tunisia
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2010.04772.x

A prospective study was performed to characterize the main human enteric viruses able to persist in sewage samples and in shellfish tissues, and to establish the correlation between environmental strains and viral infantile diarrhoea observed in the same area during the same period. A total of 250 sewage (raw and treated) and 60 shellfish samples were collected between January 2003 and April 2007 in Monastir region, Tunisia. Group A rotavirus (RVA) was detected in 80 (32%) sewage samples, norovirus (NoV) in 11 (4·4%) and enteric adenovirus (AdV) in 1 (0·4%). Among 60 shellfish samples collected near sewage effluents, one was contaminated by NoV (1·6%). Our data represent the first documentation in Tunisia, combining gastroenteritis viruses circulating in the environment and in clinical isolates. We observed a correlation between environmental strains and those found in children suffering from gastroenteritis during the same period study. This suggests the existence of a relationship between water contamination and paediatric diarrhoea. Our results address the potential health risks associated with transmission of human enteric viruses through water-related environmental routes. The research findings will aid in elucidating the molecular epidemiology and circulation of enteric viruses in Tunisia and in Africa, where data are rare.