Type
Text
Type
Dissertation
Advisor
Aller, Josephine Y., Kemp, Paul | Taylor, Gordon T.Chistoserdov, Andrei | Steward, Grieg.
Date
2011-12-01
Keywords
Biological oceanography--Public health
Department
Department of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Language
en_US
Source
This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/11401/71447
Publisher
The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.
Format
application/pdf
Abstract
Human enteric viruses (HEV) are recognized by the CDC as common etiological agents for waterborne outbreaks and they have been detected in recreational waters in the US and around the world. Current concentration and detection methods present challenges to study of HEV in coastal waters and have prevented the routine monitoring of HEV in recreational or shellfish harvesting waters. In this dissertation, various methods of concentrating viruses from water were investigated. A two-step viral concentration method that included viral adsorption-elution and ultrafiltration was found to be effective for the concentration of total viruses and improved detection limits for HEV in coastal waters. This method was then applied in a time series study of human viral contamination to coastal recreational waters. RT-PCR was used to screen for three types of HEV: enteroviruses (EV), hepatitis A viruses (HAV) and noroviurses (NoV) in viral concentrates from surface waters of Port Jefferson Harbor (PJH) NY, which receives point and nonpoint sources of human waste. No HAV or NoV were detected in any samples, but EV was detected after precipitation events. Cloning and sequencing of the EV-positive samples revealed that the amplicons derived from strains of poliovirus. The results suggest that storm water runoff, which is discharged directly into the harbor, results in human viral contamination. Future studies of HEV sources and occurrence in the environment will help reduce public health risk to human viral pollution and transmission into coastal recreational waters, particularly after precipitation events. | 109 pages
Recommended Citation
Wochinger, Alexandra Valdes, "Human Enteric Viruses in Recreational Coastal Waters" (2011). Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions). 653.
https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/stony-brook-theses-and-dissertations-collection/653