Environmental Surveillance Can Dynamically Track Ecological Changes in Enteroviruses.

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Virology
• Public health surveillance

Background:

• Enteroviruses shed in human stool can be traced via sewer networks, independent of infection status.
• Environmental surveillance offers a dynamic approach to monitor enterovirus propagation, overcoming limitations of human specimen-based studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze local enterovirus transmission using wastewater surveillance.
• To investigate the temporal and spatial dynamics of enterovirus serotypes and lineages.

Main Methods:

• Monthly influent sampling from two wastewater treatment plants (2013-2016).
• Virus isolation, neutralization tests with type-specific antisera, and molecular typing (VP1 sequencing).
• Multidimensional scaling to visualize lineage prevalence.

Main Results:

• 933 enterovirus isolates identified, showing varied serotype frequencies over time and location.
• Echovirus 11 and Coxsackievirus B5 exhibited distinct lineage-specific transmission patterns.
• Continuous isolation of same-lineage Echo11 and three Coxsackievirus B5 lineages observed.

Conclusions:

• Environmental surveillance effectively monitors non-polio enteroviruses and assesses transmission risks.
• Virus importation can lead to small-scale transmission, while widespread initial infection may result in broader community spread.
• Findings inform risk assessment for poliovirus importation in polio-free areas.