Laura Di Paola

• Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 437-444 - MONOGRAPH

  Giuseppa Purpari, Santina Di Bella, Francesca Gucciardi, Francesco Mira, Santino Barreca, Laura Di Paola, Giusi Macaluso, Patrizia Di Marco & Annalisa Guercio
  Detection of human enteric viruses in water and shellfish samples collected in Sicily (Italy)
  https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.437.444

  ABSTRACT
  Enteric viruses are responsible for foodborne and waterborne infections caused by contaminated food products and water, affecting a large number of people. Among the foods an important role is played by shellfish, on the ground that they can be eaten raw or undercooked. Data on food and water viral contamination in South of Italy are scarce and fragmentary. As illnesses result from the failure to control an hazard, the aim of this study was to detect the main pathogenic human enteric viruses in the environment, for evaluating the presence of viral contamination in shellfish and water samples collected in South of Italy (Sicily). The survey was conducted over a period of five years (2012–2016) on 16 water samples (sea waters, pipe waters and torrent water), and 72 fresh and frozen shellfishes from harvesting areas, restaurants, and markets during regional official control or checked at Veterinary Border Inspection Posts. Hepatitis A virus (HAV), GI and GII genogroup Norwalk virus (NoVs), Adenovirus and Rotavirus were detected by nucleic acid amplification (end-point and Real Time PCR/RTPCR) and sequence analysis. The most frequently detected viruses in shellfish were GI NoV (16.7%) and HAV (18.0%). Of the 16 water samples 12.5% were positive for GII NoV and 6.2% for RoV. Molecular surveillance of water and shellfish clearly demonstrated that human pathogenic viruses are widely found in aquatic environments and confirmed the role of bivalve molluscs as main reservoirs.

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