Publication Abstract
- Title
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Evaluation of potential indicators of viral contamination in shellfish with applicability to diverse geographical areas
- Publication Abstract
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Evaluation of potential indicators of viral contamination in shellfish with applicability to diverse geographical areas
M. Formiga-Cruz, A.K. Allard, A.-C. Condin-Hansso, K. Henshilwood, B.E. Hernroth, J. Rofre, D. N. Lees, F. Lucena, M. Papapetropoulou, R. E. Rangdale, A. Tsibouxi, A. Vantarakis, R. Girones
The distribution of the concentration of potential indicators of fecal viral pollution in shellfish has been analyzed under diverse conditions over 18 months in diverse geographical areas. These micro-organisms have been evaluated in relation with the contamination by human viral pathogens detected in parallel in the analyzed shellfish samples. Thus, significant shellfish growing areas from diverse countries in the North and the South of Europe (Greece, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) were defined and studied by analyzing different physic-chemical parameters in the water, and the levels of Escherichia coli, F-specific RNA bacteriophages and phages infecting Bacteroides fragilis strain RYC2056 in the shellfish produced, before and after depuration treatments. A total number of 475 shellfish samples were studied and the obtained results were statistically analyzed.
According to the statistical analysis, the presence of human viruses seems to be related with the presence of all potential indicators in the heavily contaminated areas, where Escherichia coli would be probably suitable as fecal indicator. The F-RNA phages, which are present in higher numbers in Northern Europe, seem to be significantly related with the presence of viral contamination in shellfish with a very weak predictive value for Hepatitis A virus, human adenovirus and enterovirus, and a stronger one for Norwalk-like virus. However, it is important to note that shellfish produced in A or clean B areas can sporadically contain human viruses. The presented data will be useful in order to define microbiological parameters for improving the sanitary control of shellfish consumed raw or barely cooked.
Reference:
M. Formiga-Cruz, A.K. Allard, A.-C. Condin-Hansso, K. Henshilwood*, B.E. Hernroth, J. Rofre, D. N. Lees*, F. Lucena, M. Papapetropoulou, R. E. Rangdale*, A. Tsibouxi, A. Vantarakis, R. Girones, 2003. Evaluation of potential indicators of viral contamination in shellfish with applicability to diverse geographical areas. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69(3): 1556-1563.
- Publication Internet Address of the Data
- Publication Authors
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M. Formiga-Cruz, A.K. Allard, A.-C. Condin-Hansso, K. Henshilwood*, B.E. Hernroth, J. Rofre, D. N. Lees*, F. Lucena, M. Papapetropoulou, R. E. Rangdale*, A. Tsibouxi, A. Vantarakis, R. Girones
- Publication Date
- January 2003
- Publication Reference
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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69(3): 1556-1563
- Publication DOI: https://doi.org/
