Persistence of murine norovirus, bovine rotavirus, and hepatitis A virus on stainless steel surfaces, in spring water, and on blueberries
Citation
Leblanc, D., Gagné, M.J., Poitras, É., Brassard, J. (2019). Persistence of murine norovirus, bovine rotavirus, and hepatitis A virus on stainless steel surfaces, in spring water, and on blueberries. Food Microbiology, [online] 84 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2019.103257
Plain language summary
Enteric viruses such as norovirus, hepatitis A virus and rotavirus are responsible for the vast majority of foodborne illnesses worldwide. Available persistence and survival studies are generally difficult to compare with each other since only certain parameters and viral models are tested at a time. This study was conducted in order to evaluate in parallel three model viruses, three matrices and three temperatures under the same conditions. The viability of murine norovirus (MNV-1), bovine rotavirus (boRV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) was evaluated at 21°C, 4°C and -20CC on stainless steel surfaces, in bottled water and on blueberries for 21 days. After 14 days of incubation at 21°C on stainless steel, a significant loss of viability was observed for MNV-1 and boRV while only a slight loss of viability was observed for HAV. In general, all three viruses survived very well in water at all three test temperatures for up to 21 days. The viruses also retain their infectivity in blueberries at 4°C and -20°C, however, there was a loss of viability for the MNV and boRV viruses in blueberries at 21°C after 7 days. Although these are three foodborne enteric viruses, their persistence varies with temperature and the nature of the matrix. Therefore, it is important to use more than one viral model when using inactivation treatments or implementing control measures.
Abstract
The viability of murine norovirus (MNV-1), bovine rotavirus (boRV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV) was evaluated at 21 °C, 4 °C, and −20 °C on stainless steel surfaces, in bottled water, and on blueberries for up to 21 days. After 14 days of incubation at 21 °C on stainless steel, a viability loss >4 log for MNV-1, >8 log for boRV, and >1 log for HAV was observed. Losses were observed for MNV-1 (>1 log) and HAV (>2 log) incubated in water at 21 °C for 21 days. No significant loss was detected for MNV-1 and HAV at 4 °C and −20 °C and for boRV at 21 °C, 4 °C, and −20 °C. On blueberries incubated at 4 °C and −20 °C, they all maintained their infectivity. After 7 days at 21 °C, a loss >2 log, a loss of 3 log, and no loss were observed for boRV, MNV-1, and HAV, respectively. After RNase pretreatment, the detection of extracted RNA from infectious and noninfectious samples suggested the protection of RNA inside the capsid. Even though they all are enteric viruses, their persistence varied with temperature and the nature of the commodity. It is therefore important to use more than one viral surrogate, during inactivation treatments or implementation of control measures.