Norovirus in bivalve molluscs: a study of the efficacy of the depuration system

Abstract

Noroviruses are the most common viral agents of acute gastroenteritis in humans and are often associated with the consumption of either fresh or undercooked live bivalve molluscs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the water depuration systems in the presence of Norovirus contamination A total of 96 shellfish samples was examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, as follows: 58 mussel samples (Mytilus galloprovincialis), 35 Manila clam samples (Tapes decussatus) and 3 Pacific oyster samples (Crassostrea gigas). Of these, 67 were collected before and 29 following depuration. Viral RNA was detected in one of the 67 non-depurated samples examined (1.5%; 95% confidence interval: 0.36-7.92%) and in one of the 29 depurated samples (3.4%; 95% confidence interval: 0.82-17.22%). There were no statistically significant differences between depurated and non-depurated samples which indicated that the purifying systems in place were not able to remove Norovirus contamination from the live bivalve molluscs.

Keywords

• Bivalve mollusc
• Depuration
• Italy
• Mollusc
• Norovirus
• Norwalk
• Public health
• Virus.