Enteric Virus Analysis of Effluent Discharged into the Colorado River Kayla Carpenter

History of Environmental Virology 1940s- Melnick samples East River 1950s- Hepatitis epidemic in New Delhi If viruses can infect cell cultures, they can infect animals & humans G. Berg: “Any amount of virus in drinking or recreational water that is detectable in appropriate cell cultures constitutes a hazard to those drinking such water.”

Enteric Viruses Picornaviruses that “grow” in the gut and can spread to other organs Spread via fecal-oral route Over 100 types isolated from human feces Can be in concentrations as high as pfu/g feces Some can survive secondary treatment, i.e. chlorination

Sampling Site Lush riparian environment Where effluent from a WWTP discharges into the Colorado River Shady area, always wet

Procedure 2 types of samples –Water –Sediment Processed via elution, organic flocculation, and reconcentration Assayed on two cell cultures –Buffalo green monkey kidney (BGM) –Human adenocarcinoma of the colon (CaCo-2)

Results? After two passages, no positive flasks <1 MPN

So What? Good for users of the river Used for irrigation, recreation, municipal water Not supposed to have enteric viruses (<1pfu/ 4g TS)

Questions?