title: Surveillance of Enteric Viruses and Microbial Indicators in the Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and Harvest Waters along Louisiana Gulf Coast.
abstract: Noroviruses are the most common causative agent of viral gastroenteritis in humans, and are responsible for major foodborne illnesses in the United States. Filter-feeding molluscan shellfish exposed to sewage-contaminated waters bioaccumulate viruses, and if consumed raw, transmit the viruses to humans and cause illness. We investigated the occurrence of norovirus GI and GII and microbial indicators of fecal contamination in the eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and water from commercial harvesting areas along the Louisiana Gulf Coast (January to November of 2013). Microbial indicators (aerobic plate count, enterococci, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, male-specific coliphages, and somatic coliphages) were detected at the densities lower than public health concerns. Only one oyster sample was positive for norovirus GII at 3.5 ± 0.2 log10 genomic equivalent copies/g digestive tissues. A stool specimen obtained from an infected individual associated with a norovirus outbreak and the suspected oysters (Cameron Parish, La., area 30, January 2013) were also analyzed. The norovirus strain in the stool belonged to GII.4 Sydney; however, the oysters were negative and could not be linked. In general, no temporal trend was observed in the microbial indicators. Low correlation among bacterial indicators was observed in oysters. Strongest correlations among microbial indicators were observed between enterococci and fecal coliforms (r = 0.63) and between enterococci and E. coli (r = 0.64) in water (P < 0.05); however, weak correlations were found in oysters (r < 0.45) and between oysters and harvest water (r ≤ 0.36, P > 0.05). Our results emphasize the need for regular monitoring of pathogenic viruses in commercial oyster harvesting areas to reduce the risks of viral gastroenteritis incidences.
authors.affiliation: 102 Food Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Chemistry Building, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Louisiana State Univ./AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Naim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Montazeri
authors.affiliation: 102 Food Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Chemistry Building, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Louisiana State Univ./AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maite
authors.affiliation: 102 Food Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Chemistry Building, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Louisiana State Univ./AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 102 Food Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Chemistry Building, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Louisiana State Univ./AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Jiemin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cormier
authors.affiliation: 202 Life Sciences Building, Dept. of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Louisiana State Univ, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.affiliation: 102 Food Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Chemistry Building, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Louisiana State Univ./AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shackleford
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Institute, Baton Rouge, La., 70808, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Lucina E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Lampila
authors.affiliation: 202 Life Sciences Building, Dept. of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Louisiana State Univ, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Achberger
authors.affiliation: 102 Food Microbiology Laboratory, Agricultural Chemistry Building, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Louisiana State Univ./AgCenter, Baton Rouge, La., 70803, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Marlene E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Janes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology; D060851:Gulf of America; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D029322:Norovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology; D014780:Viruses; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014876:Water Pollution
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage
keywords: fecal contamination; harvest water; microbial indicators; norovirus; oyster