[Several health problems caused by viral contamination of sea water]

The occurrence of human viruses in the marine environment offers a vast domain of research and reflection. In this respect many findings concerning the degree of seawater viral contamination and its health implications have been accomplished. The present report synthetizes some public health aspects in connection with the viral pollution of seawater on the beaches frequented for swimming or villegiature. There are mainly envisaged the detection frequency of enteric viruses in seawater, the epidemiological aspects of this phenomenon and the virus persistence in the marine environment. A particular attention is granted to the problem of the seawater viral selfpurification.