%0 Journal Article
%T Quantitative RT-PCR Detection of Hepatitis A Virus, Rotaviruses and Enteroviruses in the Buffalo River and Source Water Dams in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
%A Vincent Nnamdigadi Chigor
%A Anthony Ifeanyi Okoh
%J International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
%D 2012
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/ijerph9114017
%X Human enteric viruses (HEntVs) are a major cause of water-related diseases. The prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV), rotaviruses (RoV) and enteroviruses (EnV) in Buffalo River waters was assessed quantitatively over a period of 12 months (August 2010 to July 2011). Seventy-two samples were collected from six sites, including three dams, and concentrated using the adsorption-elution method. Viral RNA was extracted using a commercial kit, and the viruses were quantified by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR). Two or more viruses were detected in 12.5% of the samples. HAV was detected in 43.1% of the samples and in significantly ( p < 0.05) varying concentrations of 1.5 ¡Á 10 1¨C1.9 ¡Á 10 5 genome copies/L compared to RoV and EnV, while RoVs were detected in 13.9% of samples, with concentrations ranging from 2.5 ¡Á 10 1¨C2.1 ¡Á 10 3 genome copies/L, and EnV were detected in 9.7% of the samples, with concentrations ranging from 1.3 ¡Á 10 1¨C8.6 ¡Á 10 1 genome copies/L. Only HAV was detected at all the sites, with the Bridle Drift Dam recording significantly higher ( p < 0.05) concentrations. The presence of enteric viruses in Buffalo River may constitute public health risks and the incidence of HAV at all the sites could reflect both the epidemiological status of hepatitis A and HAV persistence in the water environments.
%K real-time RT-PCR
%K enteric RNA viruses
%K surface waters
%K detection
%K quantification
%K hepatitis A virus
%K rotaviruses
%K enteroviruses
%U http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/11/4017