title: Ciliate-adenovirus interactions in experimental co-cultures of Euplotes octocarinatus and in wastewater environment.
abstract: The aim of the present work was to study the dynamics of the interactions between human adenovirus and ciliates under both experimental and field conditions. Experimental co-cultures of the ciliated protozoan Euplotes octocarinatus and human adenovirus (HAdV) type 2 were established and virus internalization was investigated using nested PCR and direct immunofluorescence (IF). In addition, to study protozoa-virus interactions in the field, wild ciliates were isolated from active sludges of a wastewater treatment plant and analyzed for the presence of adenovirus using direct IF. In vitro experiments revealed HAdV type 2 inside Euplotes cells after 15min of contact and its persistence until at least 35 days post infection. In addition, our results showed the adsorption of adenovirus on the surface of wild ciliates. We conclude that HAdV is taken up by ciliates, however more studies are necessary in order to better investigate the mechanisms, the infectivity of internalized virus and the protective effects of internalization against disinfection.
authors.affiliation: Hygiene and Environmental Virology Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Battistini
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcucci
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verani
authors.forename: Graziano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Giuseppe
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: Annalaura
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carducci
mesh_terms: D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000254:growth & development*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004705:Endocytosis; D004777:Environment; D016812:Euplotes / Q000254:growth & development*; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D062065:Wastewater / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D062065:Wastewater