Statistical correlation between enterovirus genome copy numbers and infectious viral particles in wastewater samples.
OBJECTIVE
Classic virological tests are time consuming and labour-intensive; real-time RT-PCR has proven to be a fast method to detect and quantify enterovirus genomes in clinical and environmental samples. This method is unable to discriminate between infective and noninfective enterovirus particles; few clinical studies have compared real-time RT-PCR and viral culture. We wondered if the enterovirus genome quantification could be correlated to the infectivity.


RESULTS
We used the statistical approach to verify our hypotheses to correlate data, obtained by the standard method (most probable number of cytopathic units-MPNCU) and molecular test (real-time RT-PCR), on wastewater treatment plant samples. Chi-squared test was used, considering several cut-off values ('50'-'100'-'200' genome copy numbers), to determine statistical significance in comparison of the two methods. Chi-square value was not significant when cut-off of 50 (P = 0.103) and 100 (P = 0.178) was assumed but was significant with cut-off of 200 (P = 0.044).


CONCLUSIONS
This limit, 200 genome copy, could be used as cut-off value to indicate enterovirus survival in environmental monitoring.


CONCLUSIONS
To introduce a fast procedure that is able to compensate for disadvantages of cell culture method for viral environmental analyses.
Donia
D
D
Department of Public Health, Hygiene Chair, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, 00133Rome, Italy. donia@med.uniroma2.it
Bonanni
E
E
Diaco
L
L
Divizia
M
M
D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014871:Water Microbiology
D012722:Sewage