Molecular evaluation of water samples and water treatment protocols with special reference to Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E Viruses

Abstract

Waterborne viral diseases resulting from the consumption of contaminated drinking water, inadequate supply of water for personal hygiene and poor sanitation take heavy toll worldwide and developing countries are the major sufferers. Though presence of human enteric viruses has been demonstrated in water bodies as well as drinking water supplies throughout the world and several outbreaks of enteric viral diseases attributed to virologically contaminated water have been recorded, routine examination of water samples for the presence of enteric viruses is not carried out in both developed and developing countries. The main reason for not carrying out such an examination remains unavailability of a rapid, cost-effective and efficient standard procedure. The basic steps of the virological analysis of water are sampling, concentration, and specific virus detection. Concentration of water samples is a critical step, since the viruses may be present in such low numbers that it is necessary to use very large volumes and concentrate it up to a few milliliters. Recognizing the necessity of an assay for virological evaluation of water samples, this study undertook the task of developing an efficient, sensitive, quick and relatively inexpensive protocol for concentration of viruses from large amount of water samples followed by simultaneous detection of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV), Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), entero and rotaviruses. The efficacy of water supply system of Pune, India and the prevalence of enteric viruses in Mutha River flowing through Pune city was also assessed. Evaluation of point-of-use water purification devices for their efficiency to remove the virus from seeded water samples was another objective.