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A Gnotobiotic Pig Model for Determining Human Norovirus Inactivation by High-Pressure Processing
Fangfei Lou1, Mu Ye2, Yuanmei Ma3
1Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA Program in Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|July 19, 2015
Summary
High-pressure processing (HPP) effectively inactivates human norovirus (NoV) in oysters. Cold temperatures during HPP are crucial for reducing viral RNA and preventing gastroenteritis outbreaks linked to contaminated seafood.
Area of Science:
- Food safety
- Virology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Human norovirus (NoV) causes widespread gastroenteritis and foodborne illness.
- Lack of cell culture systems hinders understanding of NoV infectivity.
- Oysters are a common vehicle for NoV transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of high-pressure processing (HPP) in inactivating a human norovirus GII.4 strain in oysters.
- To compare the effectiveness of HPP at different temperatures.
- To validate a novel receptor binding assay against an in vivo model.
Main Methods:
- Human NoV GII.4 strain in oyster homogenates subjected to HPP at 350 MPa (0°C vs. 35°C for 2 min).
- Viral RNA reduction quantified using porcine gastric mucin-conjugated magnetic bead (PGM-MB) binding assay and real-time RT-PCR.
- Infectivity assessed in newborn gnotobiotic piglets via viral shedding, histologic lesions, and intestinal replication.
Main Results:
- HPP at 350 MPa and 0°C for 2 min achieved a 3.7-log10 reduction in viral RNA copies.
- HPP at 350 MPa and 35°C for 2 min resulted in only a 1-log10 reduction.
- Piglets fed oysters treated at 0°C showed no signs of infection, while those fed 35°C-treated oysters exhibited significant viral shedding and illness.
Conclusions:
- The PGM-MB binding assay accurately reflects NoV infectivity, correlating well with the gnotobiotic piglet model.
- HPP is a viable method for inactivating human NoV GII.4 in oysters at commercial processing conditions.
- Optimizing HPP temperature is critical for effective viral inactivation in seafood.
