Poliovirus Detection in Water by Cell Culture and Nucleic Acid Hydridization

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 27; no. 7; p. 1113
• Main Authors: Enriquez, Carlos E, Abbaszadegan, Morteza, Pepper, Ian L, Richardson, Kenneth J, Gerba, Charles P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1993
• ISSN: 0043-1354

The ability of a poliovirus DNA probe to effectively detect viable and non-viable viruses in well water and phosphate buffer was investigated. Samples of tap water, phosphate-buffered saline, autoclaved water, filtered water, and non-treated well water seeded with poliovirus type 1 were used. Results were compared to data, using the tissue culture methodology. The results obtained by gene probe analysis showed the presence of viral RNA after virus detection by tissue culture was no longer possible. The initial decrease in the detection of viral RNA in filtered water and untreated well water was from the presence of microbial products. Results suggested that the gene-probe methodology detects viable viruses in some types of environmental samples, since they contain bacteria and other microorganisms that would result in the rapid degradation of the viral RNA upon inactivation.