Characterization and Detection of Enteric Viruses in Surface Water, Finished Water, Tap Water by Total Culturable Virus Assay (TCVA) Method

ABSTRACT

The information of species and quantity of enteric viruses in surface water, finished water, and tap water is important in helping understand the pathogenesis of viruses, providing information about health and hygiene, improving handling technique of drinking water, and establishing the standards of water quality. Using standard total culturable virus assay-most probable number (TCVA-MPN) method, we tried to detect infectious enteric viruses in surface water, finished water, and tap water samples that were collected and evaluated according to the information collection rule (ICR). The results obtained with TCVA method were compared to the results from both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and integrated cell culture-RT-PCR (ICC-RT-PCR) method. Five of 86 samples (5.8%) were positive as determined by the TCVA-MPN method. Two of 86 samples (2.3%) were positive for reovirus as determined by the RT-PCR and ICC-RT-PCR, and contained infectious reovirus. One of 86 samples (1.7%) was positive for coxsackievirus type B3 as determined by the RT-PCR and ICC-RT-PCR.