Occurrence of Pepper Mild Mottle Virus (PMMoV) in Groundwater from a Karst Aquifer System in the Yucatan Peninsula,Mexico |
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Authors: | Gabriela Rosiles-González Gerardo Ávila-Torres Oscar A. Moreno-Valenzuela Gilberto Acosta-González Rosa María Leal-Bautista Cinthya D. Grimaldo-Hernández Judith K. Brown Cristóbal Chaidez-Quiroz Walter Q. Betancourt Charles P. Gerba Cecilia Hernández-Zepeda |
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Affiliation: | 1.Unidad de Ciencias del Agua,Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C.,Cancún,México;2.Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas,Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C.,Mérida,México;3.School of Plant Sciences,The University of Arizona,Tucson,USA;4.Laboratorio Nacional para la Investigación en Inocuidad Alimentaria,Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo A.C.,Culiacán,México;5.Water and Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center,The University of Arizona,Tucson,USA |
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Abstract: | The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico hosts a karst aquifer system that is the only source of freshwater for the area; however, it is vulnerable to human-mediated contamination. Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) is one of the most abundant RNA viruses associated with human feces, making it a viable indicator for tracking fecal pollution in aquatic environments, including groundwater. In this study, groundwater samples collected from a karst aquifer from fresh and brackish water locations were analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria, somatic and male F+ specific coliphages, and PMMoV during the rainy and dry seasons. Total coliform bacteria were detected at all sites, whereas Escherichia coli were found at relatively low levels <40 MPN/100 ml. The highest average concentrations of somatic and male F+ specific coliphages were 920 and 330 plaque forming units per 100 ml, respectively, detected in freshwater during the rainy season. PMMoV RNA was detected in 85% of the samples with gene sequences sharing 99–100% of nucleotide identity with PMMoV sequences available in GenBank. Quantification of PMMoV genome copies (GC) by quantitative real-time PCR indicated concentrations ranging from 1.7 × 101 to 1.0 × 104 GC/L, with the highest number of GC detected during the rainy season. No significant correlation was observed between PMMoV occurrence by season or water type (p > 0.05). Physicochemical and indicator bacteria were not correlated with PMMoV concentrations. The abundance and prevalence of PMMoV in the karst aquifer may reflect its environmental persistence and its potential as a fecal indicator in this karst aquifer system. |
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