title: Assessment of water quality in a border region between the Atlantic forest and an urbanised area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: The preservation of water resources is one of the goals of the designation of parks that act as natural reservoirs. In order to assess the impact of the presence of humans in an environmental preservation area bordering urban areas, the presence of four pathogenic enteric viruses [group A rotavirus (RV-A), norovirus (NoV), human adenoviruses (HAdV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV)], as well as the physico-chemical parameters, and Escherichia coli levels were assessed in riverine water samples. From June 2008 to May 2009, monthly monitoring was performed along the Engenho Novo River. RV-A, NoV, and HAdV were observed in 29% (31/108) of the water samples, with concentrations of up to 10(3) genome copies/liter. The natural occurrence of infectious HAdV was demonstrated by Integrated Cell Culture-PCR (ICC-PCR). This study confirms the suitability of using the detection of fecal-oral transmitted viruses as a marker of human fecal contamination in water matrices and indicates the spread of pathogenic viruses occurring in an alleged area of environmental protection.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, 21040-360, Avenida Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, 4365, Brazil, marizepm@ioc.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Marize Pereira
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Miagostovich
authors.forename: Flávia Ramos
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Carmen Baur
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Tulio Machado
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fumian
authors.forename: Nilson Porto
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: da Gama
authors.forename: Matias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Victoria
authors.forename: Jaqueline Mendes
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Anna Carolina de Oliveira
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Ana Maria Coimbra
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.forename: José Paulo Gagliardi
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leite
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001938:Brazil; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006802:Human Activities; D006801:Humans; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014876:Water Pollution; D060753:Water Quality