HEPATITIS A Y HEPATITIS E VIRUS DETECTION IN SAMPLES OF WASTEWATER DISCHARGES FROM CÓRDOBA. ARGENTINA

MARTÍNEZ WASSAF M; YANEZ L, ; ARRIETI F,; BARRIL P,; NATES S ,; RE, V

Cordoba

Jornada; XIII JORNADAS DE INVESTIGACIÓN CIENTÍFICA; 2012

Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, UNC

Abstract: Introduction: The detection of virus in sewage urbanized cities molecular biology techniques allows the identification of viral strains circulating in the community. The HAV is responsible for 50% of hepatitis in the world and is associated with waterborne outbreaks. In Argentina in recent times is remarkable reducing clinical case reports HAV free due to the introduction of the vaccine, but reported a shift in rate of notifications to adolescents and young adults group. The HEV, found less frequently than HAV, is considered a zoonosis (primarily swine) and responsible for a high rate of fulminant hepatic failure in pregnant women. The objective of this study was the detection of HAV and HEV in sewage samples to provide data on the distribution, dissemination, frequency and genetic characterization of circulating strains in Cordoba city. Materials and methods: For this study were collected monthly, for two years (2009-2010), samples of sewage main pipe entering the wastewater treatment plant from the city of Cordoba. This plant receives sewage discharges of about 61% of the population. It was determined the presence of HAV and HEV using RT-Nested PCR, amplifying a genomic fragment of the 5'UTR (230 bp) of HAV and ORF-2 (348 bp) of HEV. Results: HAV was detected in 20.8% (5/24) of the samples and HEV in 4.2% (1/24). HAV positive samples corresponded to samples taken in the months of October and November 2009 and January, February and June 2010. The sequencing of the samples allowed to characterize HAV strains as genotype IA. HEV was detected only in September 2010. Conclusions: The detection of both viruses in wastewater indicates their circulation in the population of Córdoba city, being a potential risk for susceptible individuals. The circulation of IA genotype HAV in Cordoba coincides with that detected in other countries in the region. The discovery of HEV in our environment, data unknown until now, is of great importance and alert health systems to take account of this virus in diagnostic algorithms of cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin. Finally, this study demonstrates the advantages of environmental monitoring as a new way in monitoring enteric virus transmission.