New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Enteroviruses in mussels and marine sediments and depuration of naturally accumulated viruses by green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus)

GILLIAN LEWIS1 MARGARET W. LOUTIT FRANK1 J. AUSTIN2

1Microbiology Department University of Otago P. O. Box 56, Dunedin New Zealand
2NZ MRC Virus Research Unit University of Otago P. O. Box 56, Dunedin New Zealand

Abstract Surveys were carried out over 16 months to assess the distribution of enteroviruses of human origin in sediments and mussels near two sewage outfalls on the North Taranaki Coast, New Zealand. Enteroviruses were present in high numbers in both sediments and shellfish near the New Plymouth sewage outfall with maximum virus levels of 32 000pfu 100 g-' of wet mussel tissue and 59 pfu 100 g ' of wet sediment material. Viruses were recovered occasionally from sediments and mussels near the Waitara Borough outfall. Coxsackievirus B4 was the predominant virus type isolated but CB5 and Poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 were also recovered. Attempts to depurate virus-contaminated New Plymouth mussels, by keeping them in water for 8 days with daily water replacement, did not achieve a significant reduction in virus numbers.

Keywords enterovirus; faecal coliform; green lipped mussel; Perna canaliculus;

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1986, Vol. 20: 431-437 Received 11 November 1985; accepted 3 February 1986

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (436K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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