ABSTRACT
The conjugation between nanotubes, coated with different doses of polyethylene imine (PEI) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Z-potential, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray diffraction (EDXD) and reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For the first time, to our knowledge, evidence is obtained that conjugation between the nanotubes and the HAV occurs and that it has an (at least a partial) electrostatic character. Since all components of the conjugated systems, nanotubes, coating material and virus are characterized by different peak shapes in the selected q range, it was possible to infer that conjugation occurred. RT-PCR measurements confirmed that the conjugation of the coated nanotubes and HAV occurred and the result was stable. This opens up the prospect of probing the coated nanotubes as intra-cellular carriers in transfection processes of the virus. Further biological applications will concern a possible vaccine especially for non-replicative viruses.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis A virus/chemistry , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning/methods , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Viruses/isolation & purification , X-Ray Diffraction , Antigens , Chromosome Disorders , Hepatitis A virus/isolation & purification , Hepatitis A virus/metabolism , Imines , Microscopy , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Polyethylene , Polyethylenes , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Risk Factors , Virus Diseases/diagnosis , X-RaysABSTRACT
AIMS: The aim of the work was to evaluate the circulation of the viruses and to determine a correlation between faecal indicators and viruses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Raw wastewater and effluent samples were collected from three wastewater treatment plants, during three sampling periods, and analysed, using cultural and molecular methods, to determine bacteria and virus presence. The results show a removal of bacterial indicators, but a limited reduction of the phages. The viral analysis displays the circulation of cultivable enteroviruses and differences in the seasonal-geographical distribution. Hepatitis A virus was found with only two genotypes: IA-IB. Rotavirus was present in 11.11%, 24.14%, 2.78% of the samples in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sampling periods; Astrovirus in 33.33%, 6.9%, 25%; Adenovirus in 7.41%, 3.45%, 2.78%; Norovirus in 7.41%, 10.34%, 5.56% respectively. Adenovirus was never identified in plants B and C as Rotavirus in plant C. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of faecal indicators was not predictive of the enteric virus presence, whereas a different circulation of Enteroviruses was found in the wastewater treatment plants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study shows the importance and the usefulness of molecular methods to evaluate the virus circulation and the genetic variability of Enteroviruses.
