Molecular confirmation of hepatitis A virus from well water: epidemiology and public health implications.
An outbreak of hepatitis A in a rural river-island community was found to be associated with consumption of contaminated well water. Specimens from case-patients, the implicated well, and a cesspool suspected to be the source of contamination were all positive for hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA by immunocapture reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. All isolates were identical over about 400 bases from two capsid-encoding regions of the genome, identifying the chain of transmission. Other wells up to 60 m from the cesspool also contained HAV RNA. In addition, HAV RNA was detected in the contamination source well 6 months after the initial contamination, when fecal coliform bacteria were no longer present. These findings demonstrate the utility of viral detection techniques to evaluate contaminated ground water.
De Serres
G
G
Centre de Santé de Quebec, Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada. gdeserres@cspq.pc.ca
Cromeans
T L
TL
Levesque
B
B
Brassard
N
N
Barthe
C
C
Dionne
M
M
Prud'homme
H
H
Paradis
D
D
Shapiro
C N
CN
Nainan
O V
OV
Margolis
H S
HS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D005844:Geology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012423:Rural Health; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply
D017931:DNA Primers; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012722:Sewage