title: Prevalence and diversity of norovirus genogroups I and II in Hong Kong marine waters and detection by real-time PCR.
abstract: Marine waters from six sites around Hong Kong with varying levels of sewage pollution were examined for noroviruses (NoVs) by PCR cloning and sequencing of a highly-variable N-terminal region of the VP1 capsid gene, at the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoV. Phylogenetic analysis of genogroups GI- and GII-specific PCR clones obtained from different marine sites indicated that human NoV GI.1 and GII.4 strains are the most prevalent genotypes circulating in Hong Kong waters. GI- and GII-specific TaqMan-based real-time PCR assays targeting the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoVs were used to quantify NoV particles in marine water samples in parallel with total Escherichia coli counts which were enumerated on TBX medium. No correlation of any significance between NoV and E. coli counts was observed which highlighted the inadequacy in using E. coli as a fecal indicator to predict the level of NoVs in marine waters to protect public health.
authors: Department of Biology and Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Biology and Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors: Huizhou
authors: H
authors: Qi
authors: Department of Biology and Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
authors: Minnie Man Lai
authors: MML
authors: Wong
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors: Rudolf Shiu Sun
authors: RSS
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Biology and Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Electronic address: bhrkong@cityu.edu.hk.
authors: Richard Yuen Chong
authors: RYC
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology*; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000821:virology; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage