A survey of enteric viruses in domestic sewage

In this second study (1979-1981) of the viral content of sewage we have demonstrated the presence of poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 in Laval and Montreal. Several strains of poliovirus types 2 and 3 were nonvaccinal. This is in contrast with our first study (1977-1978) in which only type 1 poliovirus isolates were nonvaccinal. Coxsackievirus types B-3, B-4, and B-5 and echovirus types 1, 7, and 11 were also isolated from sewage. Interestingly, these isolations coincided with reports of isolation of the same strains during the same period by diagnostic laboratories. Our method based on Vero and BSC-1 cell cultures for virus isolation and immune electron microscopy for identification permitted the recovery not only of several strains of enteroviruses but also of some adenoviruses and reoviruses.