title: Evaluation of FRNA coliphages as indicators of human enteric viruses in a tropical urban freshwater catchment.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between FRNA coliphages (FRNA GI to GIV) and human enteric viruses (human adenoviruses, HAdV, astroviruses, AstV, noroviruses, NoV, and rotaviruses, RoV) in a tropical urban freshwater catchment. Positive associations between human-specific coliphages and human viral pathogens substantiate their use as viral indicators and in microbial source tracking. Reverse transcription qPCR was used to measure the concentrations of viruses and FRNA coliphages in concentrated water samples. Environmental water samples were also analyzed for male-specific (F+) and somatic (Som) coliphages using plaque assay. The most abundant enteric virus was NoV (55%) followed by HAdV (33%), RoV (33%), and AstV (23%), while the most abundant FRNA genogroup was GI (85%) followed by GII (48%), GIV (8%) and GIII (7%). Concentrations of human-specific coliphages FRNA GII were positively correlated with NoV, HAdV, RoV, AstV, F+ and Som (τ = 0.5 to 0.3, P < 0.05) while concentrations of animal-specific coliphages FRNA GI were negatively correlated with HAdV and RoV (τ = -0.2, P < 0.05). This study demonstrates statistical relationships between human-specific coliphages and a suite of human enteric viruses in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Blk E1A-07-03, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: G G R V
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Blk E1A-07-03, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Blk E1A-07-03, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaeinejad
authors.affiliation: Technology and Water Quality Office, Public Utilities Board, Singapore.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sobsey
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Blk E1A-07-03, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: ceeginyh@nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: K Y H
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Gin
mesh_terms: D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019200:Astroviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003090:Coliphages / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000821:virology*; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012846:Singapore; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014871:Water Microbiology; D060753:Water Quality
keywords: Coliphage; Enteric virus; Freshwater; Genotyping; Microbial source tracking