Norovirus GII.Pe Genotype: Tracking a Foodborne Outbreak on a Cruise Ship Through Molecular Epidemiology,Brazil, 2014

Norovirus (NoV) is recognized as the most common cause of foodborne outbreaks. In 2014, an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred on a cruise ship in Brazil, and NoV became the suspected etiology. Here we present the molecular identification of the NoV strains and the use of sequence analysis to determine modes of virus transmission. Food (cream cheese, tuna salad, grilled fish, orange mousse, and vegetables soup) and clinical samples were analyzed by ELISA, conventional RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, and sequencing. Genogroup GII NoV was identified by ELISA and conventional RT-PCR in fecal samples from 5 of 12 patients tested (41.7%), and in the orange mousse food sample by conventional RT-PCR and qRT-PCR. Two fecal GII NoV samples and the orange mousse GII NoV sample were successfully genotyped as GII.Pe (ORF 1), revealed 98.0–98.8% identities among them, and shared phylogenetically distinct cluster. Establishing the source of a NoV outbreak can be a challenging task. In this report, the molecular analysis of the partial RdRp NoV gene provided a powerful tool for genotyping (GII.Pe) and tracking of outbreak-related samples. In addition, the same fast and simple extraction methods applied to clinical samples could be successfully used for complex food matrices, and have the potential to be introduced in routine laboratories for screening foods for presence of NoV.     

Use of Preservative Agents and Antibiotics for Increased Poliovirus Survival on Positively Charged Filters

Environmental surveillance of poliovirus (PV) and other non-enveloped viruses can help identify silent circulation and is necessary to certify eradication. The bag-mediated filtration system is an efficient method to filter large volumes of environmental waters at field sites for monitoring the presence of viruses. As filters may require long transit times to off-site laboratories for processing, viral inactivation or overgrowth of bacteria and fungi can interfere with virus detection and quantification (Miki and Jacquet in Aquatic Microb Ecol 51(2):195–208, 2008). To evaluate virus survival over time on ViroCap^? filters, the filters were seeded with PV type 1 (PV1) and/or MS2 and then dosed with preservatives or antibiotics prior to storage and elution. These filters were stored at various temperatures and time periods, and then eluted for PV1 and MS2 recovery quantification. Filters dosed with the preservative combination of 2% sodium benzoate and 0.2% calcium propionate had increased virus survival over time when stored at 25 °C, compared to samples stored at 25 °C with no preservatives. While elution within 24 h of filtration is recommended, if storage or shipping is required then this preservative mixture can help preserve sample integrity. Addition of an antibiotic cocktail containing cephapirin, gentamicin, and Proclin^? 300 increased recovery after storage at 4 and 25 °C, when compared to storage with no antibiotics. The antibiotic cocktail can aid sample preservation if access to appropriate antibiotics storage is available and sample cold chain is unreliable. This study demonstrated that the use of preservatives or antibiotics is a simple, cost-effective method to improve virus detection from ViroCap cartridge filters over time.     

DNA Heat Treatment for Improving qPCR Analysis of Human Adenovirus in Wastewater

PCR inhibitory substances in complex sample matrices can cause false negatives or under-estimation of target concentration. This study assessed DNA heat treatment for reducing inhibition during qPCR analysis of human adenovirus (HAdV) in wastewater samples. Inhibition was reduced by heat treating DNA, where mean HAdV concentration was increased by 0.71 log₁₀ GC/L (and up to 3.04 log₁₀ GC/L in one case), and replicate variability and false negatives were reduced. DNA heat treatment should be further investigated for improving reliability of HAdV concentration estimates in water, which can support more accurate assessment of health risks associated with viral pathogen exposure.     

Assessment and Evaluation of an Integrated Hybrid Anaerobic–Aerobic Sewage Treatment System for the Removal of Enteric Viruses

The capability of a cost-effective and a small size decentralized pilot wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to remove enteric viruses such as rotavirus, norovirus genogroup I (GGI), norovirus genogroup II (GGII), Hepatitis E virus (HEV), and adenovirus was studied. This pilot plant is an integrated hybrid anaerobic/aerobic setup which consisted of anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB), biological aerated filter (BAF), and inclined plate settler (IPS). Both the UASB and BAF are packed with a non-woven polyester fabric (NWPF). Results indicated that the overall log₁₀ reductions of enteric viruses’ genome copies through the whole system were 3.1 ± 1, 3.3 ± 0.5, and 2.6 ± 0.9 log₁₀ for rotavirus, norovirus GGI, and adenovirus, respectively. Reduction efficiency for both norovirus GGII and HEV after the different treatment steps could not be calculated because there were no significant numbers of positive samples for both viruses. The overall reduction of rotavirus infectious units through the whole system was 2.2 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction which is very close to the overall log₁₀ reduction of adenovirus infectious units through the whole system which was 2.1 ± 0.8 log₁₀ reduction. There was no considerable difference in the removal efficiency for different rotavirus G and P types. Adenovirus 41 was the only type detected in the all positive samples. Although the pilot WWTP investigated is cost effective, has a small footprint, does not need a long distance network pipes, and easy to operate, its efficiency to remove enteric viruses is comparable with the conventional centralized WWTPs.     

黑龙江及周边中强震前不同参数模型矩加速释放(AMR)现象特征分析

应用时间破裂分析方程中表征地震距释放程度的m值,选取不同空间尺度进行时空扫描研究,得到震前1年以每2个月为时间间隔的空间m值随时间变化的分布图像,运用不同参数设置计算了地震前Benioff累积应变释放特征。通过对比这些变化找出研究区内m值空间分布搜索主震破裂点扫描效果较好的参数模型,尝试性地给出了"矩释放程度空间扫描"方法应用于地震预测的经验指标。并结合与矩加速释放具有相同物理机制的加卸载响应比(Load/Unload Response Ratio)方法进行综合分析,利用这两种方法对地震进行中短期预测,达到两种方法互相检验、相互辅助的目的。考虑到本文仅对6个震例进行研究,无法给出具有统计显著性的结论,所以仍需结合其他方法进行点、线、面的综合分析。     

基于FTA-AHP模型的动车组列车火灾风险分析

采用事故树分析(FTA)与层次分析(AHP)相结合的方法对动车组列车火灾风险进行分析,并求得各指标层对目标层的影响权重,同时还将单独的FTA方法与FTA-AHP方法进行了比较,总结出FTA-AHP方法的优点,解决了在动车组列车火灾风险分析中的什么是重点的问题。结果表明:对动车组列车火灾风险影响较大的因素依次为,列车材料耐火等级、火灾报警系统、防火巡查、电气系统的安全状况、消防设施的维护等,必须首先从这些因素入手来控制动车组列车火灾风险。     

太湖贡湖湾水域抗生素污染特征分析与生态风险评价

为评估太湖贡湖湾水域抗生素污染程度与生态风险,利用高效液相色谱-串联质谱检测分析了4类抗生素(四环素类、喹诺酮类、磺胺类、大环内酯类)在贡湖湾表层水的污染特征.结果表明,16种目标抗生素中,有13种在贡湖湾水体中检出,质量浓度范围为0.005~4.720μg·L-1,其中土霉素(oxytetracycline,OTC)检出浓度最高.抗生素在南北两湖湾的检出水平也互有高低,其中四环素类抗生素北部湾要高于南部湾,而喹诺酮类和磺胺类抗生素的检出量南部湾要高于北部湾.采用风险商值法进行风险评估,初步评估结果为贡湖湾水域中检出的抗生素中,处于高风险的有5种:四环素类土霉素(OTC)及喹诺酮类诺氟沙星(norfloxacin,NOR)、氧氟沙星(ofloxacin,OFL)、环丙沙星(ciprofloxacin,CIP)和恩诺沙星(enrofloxacin,ENR),占检出种类38.5%;中风险有4种:四环素(tetracycline,TC)、金霉素(chlortetracycline,CTC)、罗红霉素(roxithromycin,ROX)和磺胺甲基异噁唑(sulfamethoxazole,SMX),占检出种类30.8%;其余4种磺胺甲基嘧啶(sulfamerazine,SMR)、磺胺甲氧哒嗪(sulfamethoxypyridazine,SMP)、磺胺喹噁啉(sulfaquinoxaline,SQX)和甲氧苄氨嘧啶(trimethoprim,TMP)为低风险.评估结果表明贡湖水域抗生素存在一定生态风险,其中四环素类和喹诺酮类尤为突出,应引起足够的注意,并采取相应防范措施.