Detection of Human polyomavirus 2 (HPyV2) in oyster samples in northern Brazil

Abstract

Background Human polyomavirus 2 (HPyV2 or JCPyV) is persistent in the environment due to its excretion in urine and feces; it is detected in samples of wastewater, surface water and drinking water. A lack of basic sanitation and sewage collection results in the presence of this virus in food, especially in oysters, since they are bioaccumulators and are consumed in their natural form, thus posing a risk to human health. Methods This study investigated the frequency of HPyV2 in samples of oysters marketed in northeastern Pará State, Brazil, and optimized a real-time PCR (qPCR) protocol for the detection of an endogenous oyster control. A total of 217 oysters in 22 pools from five municipalities in the state of Pará were analyzed. Samples underwent dissection and total maceration of oyster tissue using a viral concentration technique, followed by DNA extraction with phenol-chloroform and amplification of the VP1 region for molecular detection via qPCR. Results HPyV2 was detected in 18.2% (4/22) of the pooled samples, with frequencies of 25, 20, 20 and 16% in the municipalities of Salinópolis, Augusto Corrêa, São Caetano de Odivelas and Curuçá, respectively. Notably, the sample pool from the municipality of Bragança did not have detectable HPyV2 and this was the only sampled location with a water treatment station. In this study, Crassostrea genus-specific primers (AFL52 ribosomal RNA gene) of oyster were developed for use as an endogenous control in the qPCR analysis, which will be useful for future studies. Conclusions The detection of HPyV2 in oyster samples commercialized in the state of Pará shows the circulation of this virus in the studied municipalities. Thus, it is necessary to implement measures for improving sewage collection and basic sanitation to avoid contamination of water and food with HPyV2.

Induction of Brain Tumors by the Archetype Strain of Human Neurotropic JCPyV in a Transgenic Mouse Model

“…A respiratory infection is based on the finding of JCPyV genomic sequences in tonsillar stromal cells and B-lymphocytes [4,5], and a fecal-oral route of infection has gained notoriety based on the presence of live viral particles in raw urban sewage in different countries [6,7], and/or viral genomic sequences in the epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract [8,9]. In addition and supporting this theory, JCPyV has been found contaminating raw oysters [10]. Infection with JCPyV produces no symptomatology and is thought to occur in early childhood [3].…”