Environmental Surveillance Reveals Complex Enterovirus Circulation Patterns in Human Populations

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Environmental Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Enteroviruses (EVs) are common human pathogens linked to severe diseases like poliomyelitis, neurological syndromes (e.g., enterovirus A71, D68), and emerging serotypes.
• Limited knowledge exists regarding the circulation patterns and detailed composition of enteroviruses in environmental samples, particularly sewage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the enterovirus composition and circulation patterns in sewage samples using next-generation sequencing.
• To identify known and novel enterovirus strains, including those of public health relevance, in environmental samples.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction products from sewage concentrates.
• Application of next-generation sequencing to determine whole-capsid genome sequences of enteroviruses.

Main Results:

• Determination of whole-capsid genome sequences for multiple enterovirus strains across all 4 species (A-D) from environmental samples in the UK, Senegal, and Pakistan.
• Identification of vaccine-derived poliovirus, enterovirus D-68, new enterovirus A71 and coxsackievirus A16 genogroups, and numerous rarely reported serotypes.
• Evidence of complex, sustained, and widespread enterovirus circulation with varying serotype composition between samples.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates complex enterovirus circulation patterns in human populations, with significant diversity in sewage samples.
• The next-generation sequencing approach is effective for early detection of emerging pathogens and enhances understanding of enterovirus epidemiology.
• Findings highlight the public health relevance of sewage surveillance for monitoring enteroviruses, including vaccine-derived strains and novel genogroups.