Quantitation of hepatitis A virus and enterovirus levels in the lagoon canals and Lido beach of Venice, Italy, using real-time RT-PCR.
In order to assess the microbial water quality of the lagoon canals of Venice, Italy and nearby beach on Lido island, a study was conducted using real-time RT-PCR to enumerate levels of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and enteroviruses in these marine waters over a 3-year period from 2003 to 2005. A total of 17 sites (9 lagoon canal and 8 beach sites) were assayed. For the canals of the Venice Lagoon, 78% were positive for both HAV and enteroviruses, with levels ranging from 75 to 730 and 3 to 1,614 genome copies/L, respectively. At Lido beach, HAV was never detected, but enteroviruses were detected in all Lido beach samples at levels ranging from 2 to 71 genome copies/L. There was a statistically significant correlation between thermotolerant coliform densities and HAV levels (p=0.0002), but the relationship between thermotolerant coliform densities and enterovirus levels was not significant (p>0.05). Despite the fact that enteroviruses were detected at low levels in the surfzone at Lido beach, the risk for enteroviral infection (calculated using the beta-Poisson model) for recreational exposure from swimming, was in the range of 1.9 x 10(-3) - 6.1 x 10(-2), yielding a disease risk at or below the level (5% for gastroenteritis) deemed acceptable by European Guide standards.
Rose
Michael A
MA
Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, CA 92182, USA.
Dhar
Arun K
AK
Brooks
Hilary A
HA
Zecchini
Fulvio
F
Gersberg
Richard M
RM
D001493:Bathing Beaches; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007558:Italy; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012623:Seawater / Q000821:virology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004279:DNA, Viral