Human enteric virus in various environmental matrices in the northwest of Morocco

A total of 72 samples were collected between 2006 and 2008 in the Mediterranean coast of Morocco (Smir lagoon water= 30, connected seawater =30, sediments=6, mussels = 6). The water samples were concentrated by glass wool method then analyzed for human enterovirus infectious by integrated cell culture-PCR (ICC/RT-PCR) and by qRT-PCR for other enteric viruses. Human adenovirus, polyomavirus JC, Norovirus GII and rotavirus A were detected in 63, 57, 43 and 36% of 30 lagoon samples respectively. For Norovirus GI, in 10 tested samples only 10 % revealed positive. Human adenovirus was detected in 60% while polyomavirus JC and Norovirus GII were detected in 10% of ten seawater samples. All were negative for hepatitis virus E and hepatitis virus A. The infectious enterovirus were detected in 40 and 36% of lagoon and seawater samples respectively and sequencing analyses showed that sequences belong to coxsackievirus B1. Mussels samples were positive for Rotavirus A (83%) and none of Norovirus were detected. Sediments were positive for Rotavirus A (33%) and Norovirus GI/GII (17%). This study revealed a human viral pollution of the environment and suggested Human adenovirus as a suitable viral indicator of human fecal pollution for recreational beaches quality.