Comparative Assessment of Mammalian Reoviruses versus Enteroviruses as Indicator for Viral Water Pollution.

UNLABELLED: Enteric viruses are important causative agents of human diseases. Among the enteric viruses, reoviruses and enteroviruses are prevalent in various aquatic environments. This study was carried out to detect and compare the presence of reoviruses and enteroviruses by ICC-PCR in one wastewater and three drinking water treatment plants, studying the possibility of using reoviruses as indicator of viral water pollution and genotyping of the isolated strains. One hundred and forty four drinking water and 76 wastewater samples were collected for two years. Reoviruses and enteroviruses were detected in 12.5% (18/144) and 8.3% (12/144) of total collected drinking water samples. In the studied wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), reoviruses were detected in 26% (20/76) of total collected samples while enteroviruses were detected in 21% (16/76) of the total collected samples. Phylogenic analysis revealed that our sequences were closely related to reovirus type 1, Lang strain and Human poliovirus type1. CONCLUSION: The higher incidence of reoviruses than enteroviruses reflects the possibility of using reoviruses as indicator of water pollution.