title: Potential risk of norovirus infection due to the consumption of "ready to eat" food.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the presence of enteric viruses such as norovirus (NoV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and adenovirus (HAdV), in vegetables available on the Italian markets. For this aim, 110 national and international "ready to eat" samples were collected and analyzed by biomolecular tests and positive samples were confirmed by sequencing. All samples (100 %) were negative for HAV, HEV, and HAdV, while 13.6 % (15/110) were positive for NoV. Actually there is not a formal surveillance system for NoV infections in Italy but we clearly demonstrated a potential risk associated with the consumption of "ready to eat" vegetables. This study confirmed for the first time in Italy the presence of norovirus in semi-dried tomatoes by PCR technique.
authors: Marine Microbiology Laboratory of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piemonte Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, La Spezia, Italy. laura.serracca@izsto.it
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Serracca
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Rossini
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Battistini
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Goria
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Sant
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: De Montis
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Ercolini
mesh_terms: D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000821:virology*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling; D005516:Food Microbiology; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000821:virology; D029322:Norovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors