Large scale survey of enteric viruses in river and waste water underlines the health status of the local population
Résumé
Although enteric viruses constitute a major cause of acute waterborne diseases worldwide, environmental data
about occurrence and viral load of enteric viruses in water are not often available. In this study, enteric viruses
(i.e., adenovirus, aichivirus, astrovirus, cosavirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A and E viruses, norovirus of genogroups
I and II, rotavirus A and salivirus) were monitored in the Seine River and the origin of contamination was
untangled. A total of 275 water sampleswere collected, twice a month for one year, from the river Seine, its tributaries
and themajorWWTP effluents in the Paris agglomeration. Allwater samples were negative for hepatitis A
and E viruses. AdV, NVGI, NVGII and RV-A were the most prevalent and abundant populations in all water samples.
The viral load and the detection frequency increased significantly between the samples collected the most
upstream and the most downstream of the Paris urban area. The calculated viral fluxes demonstrated clearly the
measurable impact ofWWTP effluents on the viral contamination of the Seine River. The viral load was seasonal
for almost all enteric viruses, in accordance with the gastroenteritis recordings provided by the French medical
authorities. These results implied the existence of a close relationship between the health status of inhabitants
and the viral contamination of WWTP effluents and consequently surface water contamination. Subsequently,
the regular analysis of wastewater could serve as a proxy for the monitoring of the human viruses circulating
in both a population and surface water.