RESUMO
This paper reported the appraisal of a novel technology for the detection of enterovirus in sewage based on a viral recovery method using polyethylenglycol as a concentrating agent and on the combined use of viral isolation and polymerase chain reaction as viral detection and identification techniques. It was also confirmed that the viral recovery method is highly efficient since it allows to recover all viruses present in sewage and to preserve their infective capacity. It was proved that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is less sensitive than cell culture for detecting enteroviruses in sewage. It is also possible to use guadinine isothiocyanate, whose components can be prepared in the lab, as an alternative method for taking out and purifying nucleic acids instead of using the conventional TRIZOL method which is the one recommended in these cases by the World Health Organization.