Assessment of the Virological Quality of Marine and Running Surface Waters in NW Greece: A Case Study

The virological quality of surface marine and running water samples collected from Igoumenitsa gulf and Kalamas river (NW Greece) was assessed from October 2012 to September 2013. Sampling sites were exposed to different land and/or anthropogenic effects. Seawater samples were collected monthly from five sampling stations (new harbor, old harbor, wastewater treatment plant outlet, protected Natura area, Drepano beach). Viral targets included human adenoviruses (hAdVs), as index human viruses, while noroviruses (NoVs) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) were also studied. Kalamas river samples were collected seasonally, from three sampling stations (Soulopoulo, Dam, Sagiada-estuaries), while viral targets included also porcine adenoviruses (pAdVs) and bovine polyoma viruses (bPyVs), as additional index viruses. All water samples were analyzed for standard bacterial indicators, as well. Physicochemical and meteorological data were also collected. Based on the standard bacterial indices, both sea and river water samples did not exceed the limits set according to Directive 2006/7/EU. However, positive samples for hAdVs were found occasionally in all sampling sites in Igoumenitsa gulf (23.3%, 14/60) showing fecal contamination of human origin. Moreover, HAV was detected once, in the sampling site of the old port (at 510 GC/L). Most of the Kalamas water samples were found positive for hAdVs (58.3%, 7/12), while human noroviruses GI (NoVGI) (8.3%, 1/12) and GII (NoVGII) (16.7%, 2/12) were also detected. HAV, pAdVs, and bovine polyomaviruses (bPyVs) were not detected in any of the analyzed samples. No statistically significant correlations were found between classic bacterial indicators and viral targets, nor between viruses and meteorological data. Overall, the present study contributed to the collection of useful data for the biomonitoring of the region, and the assessment of the overall impact of anthropogenic activities. It provided also valuable information for the evaluation of the risk of waterborne viral infections and the protection of public health. It was the first virological study in the area and one of the few in Greece.     

Oyster Contamination with Human Noroviruses Impacted by Urban Drainage and Seasonal Flooding in Vietnam

This study investigated the level of norovirus contamination in oysters collected at a lagoon receiving urban drainage from Hue City for 17 months (August 2015–December 2016). We also investigated the genetic diversity of norovirus GI and GII in oyster and wastewater samples by using pyrosequencing to evaluate the effect of urban drainage on norovirus contamination of oysters. A total of 34 oyster samples were collected at two sampling sites (stations A and B) in a lagoon. Norovirus GI was more frequently detected than GII (positive rate 79 vs. 41%). Maximum concentrations of GI and GII were 2.4 × 10⁵ and 2.3 × 10⁴ copies/g, respectively. Co-contamination with GI and GII was observed in 35% of samples. Norovirus GII concentration was higher at station A in the flood season than in the dry season (P = 0.04, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Six genotypes (GI.2, GI.3, GI.5, GII.2, GII.3, and GII.4) were identified in both wastewater and oyster samples, and genetically similar or identical sequences were obtained from the two types of samples. These observations suggest that urban drainage and seasonal flooding contribute to norovirus contamination of oysters in the study area.     

Coxsackievirus B4 as a Causative Agent of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1: Is There a Role of Inefficiently Treated Drinking Water and Sewage in Virus Spreading?

This study proposed to detect the enterovirus (EV) infection in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) and to assess the role of insufficiently treated water and sewage as sources of viral spreading. Three hundred and eighty-two serum specimens of children with T1D, one hundred serum specimens of children who did not suffer from T1D as control, and forty-eight water and sewage samples were screened for EV RNA using nested RT-PCR. The number of genome copies and infectious units of EVs in raw and treated sewage and water samples were investigated using real-time (RT)-PCR and plaque assay, respectively. T1D markers [Fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, and C-peptide], in addition to anti-Coxsackie A & B viruses (CVs A & B) IgG, were measured in control, T1D-negative EV (T1D–EV^?), and T1D-positive EV (T1D–EV⁺) children specimens. The prevalence of EV genome was significantly higher in diabetic children (26.2%, 100 out of 382) than the control children (0%, 0 out of 100). FBG and HbA1c in T1D–EV^? and T1D–EV⁺ children specimens were significantly higher than those in the control group, while c-peptide in T1D–EV^? and T1D–EV⁺ children specimens was significantly lower than that in the control (n = 100; p < 0.001). Positivity of anti-CVs A & B IgG was 70.7, 6.7, and 22.9% in T1D–EV⁺, T1D–EV^?, and control children specimens, respectively. The prevalence of EV genome in drinking water and treated sewage samples was 25 and 33.3%, respectively. The prevalence of EV infectious units in drinking water and treated sewage samples was 8.5 and 25%, respectively. Quantification assays were performed to assess the capabilities of both wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and water treatment plants (WTPs) to remove EV. The reduction of EV genome in Zenin WWTP ranged from 2 to 4 log₁₀, while the reduction of EV infectious units ranged from 1 to 4 log₁₀. The reduction of EV genome in El-Giza WTP ranged from 1 to 3 log₁₀, while the reduction of EV infectious units ranged from 1 to 2 log₁₀. This capability of reduction did not prevent the appearance of infectious EV in treated sewage and drinking water. Plaque purification was performed for isolation of separate EV isolates from treated and untreated water and sewage samples. Characterization of the EV amplicons by RT-PCR followed by sequencing of these isolates revealed high homology (97%) with human coxsackievirus B4 (CV B4) in 60% of the isolates, while the rest of the isolates belonged to poliovirus type 1 and type 2 vaccine strains. On the other hand, characterization of the EV amplicons by RT-PCR followed by sequencing for T1D–EV⁺ children specimens indicated that all samples contained CV B4 with the same sequence characterized in the environmental samples. CV B4-contaminated drinking water or treated sewage may play a role as a causative agent of T1D in children.     

Environmental Surveillance for Noroviruses in Selected South African Wastewaters 2015–2016: Emergence of the Novel GII.17

Norovirus (NoV) GII.4 is the predominant genotype associated with gastroenteritis pandemics and new strains emerge every 2–3 years. Between 2008 and 2011, environmental studies in South Africa (SA) reported NoVs in 63% of the sewage-polluted river water samples. The aim of this study was to assess whether wastewater samples could be used for routine surveillance of NoVs, including GII.4 variants. From April 2015 to March 2016, raw sewage and effluent water samples were collected monthly from five wastewater treatment plants in SA. A total of 108 samples were screened for NoV GI and GII using real-time RT-qPCR. Overall 72.2% (78/108) of samples tested positive for NoVs with 4.6% (5/108) GI, 31.5% (34/108) GII and 36.1% (39/108) GI + GII strains being detected. Norovirus concentrations ranged from 1.02 × 10² to 3.41 × 10⁶ genome copies/litre for GI and 5.00 × 10³ to 1.31 × 10⁶ genome copies/litre for GII. Sixteen NoV genotypes (GI.2, GI.3, GI.4, GI.5, GI.6, GII.2, GII.3, GII.4, GII.7, GII.9, GII.10, GII.14, GII.16, GII.17, GII.20, and GII.21) were identified. Norovirus GII.2 and GII.17 co-dominated and the majority of GII.17 strains clustered with the novel Kawasaki 2014 variant. Sewage surveillance facilitated detection of Kawasaki 2014 in SA, which to date has not been detected with surveillance in children with gastroenteritis <5 years of age. Combined surveillance in the clinical setting and environment appears to be a valuable strategy to monitor emergence of NoV strains in countries that lack NoV outbreak surveillance.     

死菌DNA对厌氧消化污泥中抗生素抗性基因及微生物群落分析的干扰

为评估死菌DNA对厌氧消化污泥抗生素抗性基因(ARGs)和微生物群落分析的潜在干扰,本研究对3种不同类型厌氧消化污泥进行叠氮溴化丙锭(PMA)处理,比较在PMA屏蔽死菌DNA PCR扩增情况下污泥ARGs和微生物群落分析结果与未经PMA处理情况下的差异.结果表明,经PMA处理后,剩余污泥自厌氧消化样品和高含固厌氧消化污泥样品中的ARGs丰度分别下降了41%～86%和74%～98%;污泥水解液厌氧消化15 d后的污泥样品中ARGs下降幅度相对较小,但降幅最高也达到34%.PMA处理对3个来源不同的厌氧消化污泥微生物群落组成分析结果呈现不同程度的影响,对高含固厌氧消化污泥的微生物群落结构分析影响最为显著.在经PMA处理与未经PMA处理两种情况下,厌氧消化污泥ARGs与微生物群落组成相关性分析的结果也截然不同.研究证明了死菌DNA对厌氧消化污泥ARGs和微生物群落分析的潜在干扰,采用PMA预处理能够更准确地反映厌氧消化污泥中的微生物群落及菌体携带ARGs的特征.     

模拟升温对冰川前缘地微生物种群的影响

由于全球变暖影响,冰川处于不断退缩状态.本研究以天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川前缘地3个不同退缩年代的土样为研究对象,设置2个温度处理,分别为5℃与15℃,通过150d室内培养实验,探讨升温对冰川前缘地微生物种群的影响.结果表明,在原始样品中,随土壤样品退缩年代的增加,土壤总碳氮含量增加,微生物的数量及α多样性增加. 150d培养实验结果表明:细菌、古菌拷贝数随升温发生变化,但改变未达显著水平.此外,升温改变微生物群落结构,且对不同样点微生物群落结构影响不同.通过对升温后变化显著的优势OTUs进行分析,退缩年代较短的样点对升温响应更为明显,主要表现为Thiobacillus属相对丰度的升高.结果表明,冰川前缘地微生物对变暖响应的土壤异质性,其结果可为高山冰川地区升温下微生物的特征变化提供参考信息.     

北运河上游合流制管网溢流污染特性研究

以北运河沙河水库周边合流制管网为研究对象,选取浊度为主要指示指标,通过监测典型溢流排口,考察了2019年4次合流制管网溢流污染物的变化过程,研究了降雨事件之间的干旱天数和降雨强度对溢流污染的影响,并分析浊度和典型污染物之间的相关性.结果表明,汛期降雨强度较大、历时较长,是溢流事件发生的主要时期.当单场次累积降雨量达到15 mm和单场次平均降雨强度达到1.4 mm·h^-1时,溢流开始发生.其中,4月24日（第一次溢流）和汛期7月22日（干旱天数为23 d,降雨强度最强）的初期溢流污染最为严重,这两次溢流污水中TN、TP、TCOD都与浊度显著相关（p<0.01）;5月26日（非汛期典型降雨）的溢流污染物与浊度相关性不显著（p>0.05）,污染负荷较低.这说明北运河上游沙河水库周边合流制管网溢流污染主要受降雨强度和干旱天数的影响.因此,以年总溢流污染负荷为控制目标时,应优先控制年度初次溢流和主汛期初次溢流的初期溢流污染.     

Fifty shades of white: how white feather brightness differs among species

White colouration is a common and important component of animal visual signalling and camouflage, but how and why it varies across species is poorly understood. White is produced by wavelength-independent and diffuse scattering of light by the internal structures of materials, where the degree of brightness is related to the amount of light scattered. Here, we investigated the morphological basis of brightness differences among unpigmented pennaceous regions of white body feathers across 61 bird species. Using phylogenetically controlled comparisons of reflectance and morphometric measurements, we show that brighter white feathers had larger and internally more complex barbs than duller white feathers. Higher brightness was also associated with more closely packed barbs and barbules, thicker and longer barbules, and rounder and less hollow barbs. Larger species tended to have brighter white feathers than smaller species because they had thicker and more complex barbs, but aquatic species were not significantly brighter than terrestrial species. As similar light scattering principals affect the brightness of chromatic signals, not just white colours, these findings help broaden our general understanding of the mechanisms that affect plumage brightness. Future studies should examine how feather layering on a bird’s body contributes to differences between brightness of white plumage patches within and across species.