Detection and Molecular Characterization of Enteric Viruses in Bivalve Mollusks Collected in Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lilian Gonçalves do Nascimento,
Sylvia Kahwage Sarmento,
Raphael Leonardo,
Meylin Bautista Gutierrez,
Fábio Correia Malta,
Jaqueline Mendes de Oliveira,
Caroline Rezende Guerra,
Ricardo Coutinho,
Marize Pereira Miagostovich,
Tulio Machado Fumian
Affiliations
Lilian Gonçalves do Nascimento
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Sylvia Kahwage Sarmento
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Raphael Leonardo
Laboratory of Viral Morphology and Morphogenesis, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Meylin Bautista Gutierrez
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Fábio Correia Malta
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Jaqueline Mendes de Oliveira
Laboratory of Technological Development in Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Caroline Rezende Guerra
Laboratory of Marine Genetics, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Sea Studies Institute Admiral Paulo Moreira (IEAPM), Arraial do Cabo 28930-000, RJ, Brazil
Ricardo Coutinho
Laboratory of Marine Genetics, Department of Marine Biotechnology, Sea Studies Institute Admiral Paulo Moreira (IEAPM), Arraial do Cabo 28930-000, RJ, Brazil
Marize Pereira Miagostovich
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Tulio Machado Fumian
Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
Viral bivalve contamination is a recognized food safety hazard. Therefore, this study investigated the detection rates, seasonality, quantification, and genetic diversity of enteric viruses in bivalve samples (mussels and oysters). We collected 97 shellfish samples between March 2018 and February 2020. The screening of samples by qPCR or RT-qPCR revealed the detection of norovirus (42.3%), rotavirus A (RVA; 16.5%), human adenovirus (HAdV; 24.7%), and human bocavirus (HBoV; 13.4%). There was no detection of hepatitis A virus. In total, 58.8% of shellfish samples tested positive for one or more viruses, with 42.1% of positive samples contaminated with two or more viruses. Norovirus showed the highest median viral load (3.3 × 106 GC/g), followed by HAdV (median of 3.5 × 104 GC/g), RVA (median of 1.5 × 103 GC/g), and HBoV (median of 1.3 × 103 GC/g). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that norovirus strains belonged to genotype GII.12[P16], RVA to genotype I2, HAdV to types -C2, -C5, and -F40, and HBoV to genotypes -1 and -2. Our results demonstrate the viral contamination of bivalves, emphasizing the need for virological monitoring programs to ensure the quality and safety of shellfish for human consumption and as a valuable surveillance tool to monitor emerging viruses and novel variants.
