Techniques for Virus Detection in the Marine Environment

摘要

This study dealt with the development of methodology for virus recovery from the marine environment. The authors have explored a variety of methods for the recovery of enteroviruses from seawater which has been inoculated with high liters of poliovirus 1, 2, and 3, coxsackie B3 and echovirus 1 and 4. The authors have developed a technique based on the adsorption of viruses to Filterite filters, elution with 1% non-fat dry milk (NFDM), and organic flocculation of the eluates. This method resulted in the efficient recovery of most enteroviruses tested except for enhovirus type 1. The method was also suitable for virus recovery from tap water. Various eluents were tested for their ability to desorb viruses from marine sediments. In laboratory experiments 4M urea-0.05M lysine was the most efficient in virus recovery from sediment. Although the method is time consuming, it results in a small volume of concentrate. The methods developed in the course of this study were used to recover indigenous viruses from estuarine water and sediments. Enteroviruses were found in both water and sediment in a section of Matanzas River which was closed with regard to shellfish harvesting.