Are viruses in recreational waters of Salta Argentina a threat to health?

LUCÍA CHÁVEZ DÍAZ; HUGO R. POMA; DOLORES GUTIÉRREZ CACCIABUE; RAJAL, VERONICA BEATRIZ

Salta

Simposio; III Simposio Latinoamericano de Virología Ambiental (III-SILVA 2016); 2016

Environmental waters are intensively used for recreational purposes. To assess it quality legislations established the use of bacteria indicators but they cannot ensure the presence of virus. The aim of this work was to detect and quantify viruses in waters by real-time PCR (qPCR). For that, two aquatic environments: Wierna River and General Belgrano Reservoir (Salta, Argentina), were monitored during the wet season. Three different samples were taken from each environment: one before a storm, the second a day after it, and the last one a few weeks after the storm. Since viruses may be present at low amounts, water was concentrated by ultrafiltration and then assessed for Enterovirus, Adenovirus, and Norovirus by qPCR. Fecal indicator bacteria and physicochemical variables were also measured. Adenovirus was found in two samples taken a few weeks after storm, one from the river and the other from the reservoir. The concentration of E. coli and enterococci in these samples were below the limits established by legislations for recreational waters, confirming that bacteria are not good indicators for adenoviruses and that recreational waters may constitute a threat to health.