Evidence of the co-circulation of enteric viruses in sewage and in the population of Greater Cairo

Abstract

Aims: To characterize major enteric viruses (enterovirus, rotavirus, norovirus, astrovirus and adenovirus) in the sewage of Greater Cairo and to compare the results with clinical data collected during the same period. Methods and Results: Seventy‐two sewage samples from two waste water treatment plants were collected from April 2006 through February 2007. Enteroviruses, noroviruses (NoVs) and rotaviruses (RVs) were detected by RT‐PCR in 22%, 18% and 8·3% of the samples, respectively. No adenovirus and astrovirus was detected. G2P[8], G9P[8], G1P[8], G2P[4] and rare G12 RV isolates were detected in the environment as well as a bovine RV. The environmental NoV strains mostly belonged to genogroup I (84%). Rotaviruses and some of the NoVs were similar to those found in the clinical samples at the same time. Conclusions: The comparison of environmental and clinical data suggests that similar RV and NoV isolates were circulating in the environment and in the population during the same period. Significance and Impact of the Study: Few studies have investigated the prevalence and the epidemiology of RVs and NoVs in Cairo. This work is the first to establish a correlation between viral gastroenteritis and the concomitant presence of enteric viruses in the environment for Greater Cairo where combined environmental and clinical surveys should help to prevent infections caused by these major pathogens.

Detection and Genotyping of Viral Gastroenteritis in Hospitalized Children Below Five Years Old in Cairo, Egypt

“…In this study, G1P [8], G3P [8], and G1P [4] were the dominant genotypes among Egyptian children (29.7%, 27.0%, and 18.9%, respectively). These findings are in partial agreement with previous studies conducted in Egypt (10)(11)(12)17), and in complete agreement with global studies, which reported P [8], P [6], and P [4] as the most common P genotypes with frequent combinations of G1P [8], G4P [8], G3P [8], G9P [8], G2P [4], and G9P [6] as the dominant genotypes globally (23). On the other hand, enteric adenovirus type 41 was the most common genotype in Cairo.…”

“…However, no astrovirus infection was observed. These findings are relatively similar to the detection rates reported in Egypt and other countries for the epidemiology of rotavirus and adenovirus (associated with acute diarrhea) in children below five years old (4,5,10,11,17).…”

“…The second round of RT-PCR amplification of cDNA was performed with specific primer sets: 1T-1 (P [8]), 2T-1 (P [4]), 3T-1 (P [6]), 4T-1 (P [9]), and 5T-1 (P [10]) for Ptyping; aBT1 (G1), aCT2 (G2), aET3 (G3), aDT4 (G4), FT5 (G5), DT6 (G6), HT8 (G8), aFT9 (G9), ET10 (G10), and BT11 (G11) for G-typing (13-15).…”

“…In Egypt, several studies have been performed on rotavirus epidemiology, whereas a limited studies have been carried out on rotavirus, astrovirus, and enteric adenovirus at the same time (10)(11)(12). Therefore, monitoring of rotavirus, astrovirus, and enteric adenovirus is necessary for the assessment of public health risk factors in Egypt.…”

Norovirus GII.17 Predominates in Selected Surface Water Sources in Kenya

“…In Africa, the prevalence of NoVs has been investigated in both clinical (Mans et al 2010(Mans et al , 2014Hassine-Zaafrane et al 2013;Huynen et al 2013;) and environmental settings (Kamel et al 2010;Kiulia et al 2010;Sdiri-Loulizi et al 2010;Gibson 2011;Mans et al 2013;Murray et al 2013). Noroviruses have also been detected in shellfish collected along the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Coast of Morocco (Benabbes et al 2013).…”