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Assays for the Specific Growth Rate and Cell-binding Ability of Rotavirus
10:49

Assays for the Specific Growth Rate and Cell-binding Ability of Rotavirus

Published on: January 28, 2019

[The epidemic importance of the virological study of sewage for rotaviruses]

K I Spynu, T P Grushko, V P Vutkarev

    Voprosy Virusologii
    |May 1, 1992
    PubMed

    Insights

    Rotavirus (RV) is detectable in sewage when at least 1% of children excrete the virus. Increased RV detection in sewage signals a rise in rotavirus infection activity.

    Area of Science:

    • Environmental microbiology
    • Virology
    • Public health

    Background:

    • Rotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of severe diarrheal disease in children globally.
    • Monitoring RV shedding in communities is crucial for understanding transmission dynamics.
    • Sewage surveillance offers a non-invasive method for tracking pathogen circulation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To correlate rotavirus circulation in children with RV detection in sewage.
    • To establish a threshold for RV detectability in sewage from institutional settings.
    • To assess sewage surveillance as an indicator of rotavirus epidemic activity.

    Main Methods:

    • Correlation analysis of RV excretion rates in children (healthy and sick) and RV antigen detection in sewage samples.
    • Sampling from sewage collectors in a children's hospital infectious ward and an orphanage.
    • Quantitative assessment of RV antigen levels in environmental samples.

    Main Results:

    • A correlation was observed between RV circulation indices in children and RV antigen detection in sewage.
    • Rotaviruses were detectable in sewage when approximately 1% of the child population were virus excretors.
    • A significant increase in sewage RV detection rates corresponded with heightened epidemic activity.

    Conclusions:

    • Sewage surveillance can effectively monitor rotavirus circulation in institutionalized child populations.
    • The 1% virus excretor threshold provides a benchmark for RV detectability in sewage.
    • Increased RV detection in sewage serves as a valuable early warning for potential rotavirus outbreaks.

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