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.     

黄河下游滩区开封段土壤重金属分布特征及其潜在风险评价

按照土壤采样规范,对开封段黄河滩区及滩外土壤采样,表层0～20 cm样品48个,垂直剖面采样100 cm,2个;并按照土壤化学分析方法,对Pb、Cr、Hg、As和Cd这5种重金属进行分析;最后,按照国家土壤一级标准,采用单因子污染指数、内梅罗综合污染指数和Hkanson潜在生态危害指数法对开封市黄河滩区土壤重金属分布特征、污染状况和潜在生态危害进行了分析.结果表明:①开封市黄河滩区土壤Pb、Cr、Hg、As和Cd这5种重金属含量就平均值而言,Cr的平均含量最大,Pb、Hg的平均含量最小.除Hg之外,其它重金属元素的变异系数均较小,说明重金属Hg存在较大差异;滩区土壤的主要污染元素为Hg、As、Pb,其中Pb的污染为普遍性污染.Cr和Cd在各村间变化不大,且含量均在国家一级标准(自然保护区)以下.②土壤各重金属元素的空间分布特征研究区内上下段之间分异明显,上段呈清洁状态,中段有少量污染,下段表现出明显富集的分布状态;③以黄河大堤为界,滩区内外重金属分异与居民点分布密切相关,在滩区上段(西南部)居民集中,土壤各重金属浓度较高,表现为沿河区<大堤外,中下游段(滩区东北部)重金属含量大于大堤外土地,下游段东北趋向于污染富集.④以重金属平均单项潜在生态风险指数(Eri)评价表明,开封市黄河滩区土壤Hg的潜在生态风险达到强烈水平,Pb在重金属综合潜在生态风险的贡献率高达50.5%,是最主要的生态风险重金属,各个重金属的污染程度为Hg>Pb>As>Cd>Cr.⑤各重金属生态危害的次序为Hg>Cd>As>Pb>Cr.由RI值对应的潜在生态风险等级可知,开封市黄河滩区土壤存在中等级别重金属潜在生态危害.     

聚磷污泥去除高浓度铅的影响因素研究

利用聚磷活性污泥去除废水中的铅[ρ(Pb2+)=150.0 mg·L-1],研究了反应体系内不同溶解氧状况和初始pH值对污泥除铅的效率和稳定性的影响.结果表明,厌氧条件下,pH 6时,铅的去除率随时间增长呈上升趋势,32 d后铅去除率达99.8%,其中有机物及硫化物结合态铅、残渣态分别占41.8%和52.6%,污泥中铅的稳定性良好.好氧条件下,在相对较短时间内铅的去除率随pH上升而增加,反应2 h时,pH 6、pH 4和pH 2对应的铅的去除率分别为99.9%、96.9%和30.3%;而好氧32 d后pH 6、pH 4和pH 2的污泥中残渣态铅含量分别为3 072.3、4 726.8和2 359.1 mg·kg-1,分别占污泥中总铅的41.8%、65.8%和88.8%.综合考虑除铅率和除铅后污泥稳定性,好氧且pH 4理论上是聚磷污泥除铅的最佳条件.     

三峡库区消落带生态环境问题探讨

三峡工程的竣工,在库区两岸形成了垂直高差达30m的涨落地带,称之为消落带,对水库的实际运行影响深远。通过对这片区域特点和现状的研究,总结了当前三峡库区消落带出现的各种环境问题,如生态破坏、环境污染、景观影响、疾病问题、地质灾害等。针对各类环境问题的出现,提出了生态恢复、污染预防与治理、合理规划管理、出台相应政策等解决方法和控制措施,以期实现库区消落带的保护和充分利用,为库区社会、经济、环境的可持续发展提供参考。