F-Specific RNA Bacteriophages Model the Behavior of Human Noroviruses during Purification of Oysters: the Main Mechanism Is Probably Inactivation Rather than Release

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.00526-20
• Publication Date: 2020-04-20T15:06:09Z
• Authors: Alice Leduc; Manon Leclerc; Julie Challant; Julie Loutreul; Maëlle Robin; Armand Maul; Didier Majou; Nicolas Boudaud; Christophe Gantzer
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Norovirus; Nutrients; RNA Phages; Citric Acid; Virus Shedding; 3. Good health; [SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; 03 medical and health sciences; Stress, Physiological; Animals; Virus Inactivation; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Crassostrea

This study provides new data about the behavior of viruses in oysters under purification processes and about their elimination mechanism. First, a high correlation has been observed between F-specific RNA bacteriophages of subgroup II (FRNAPH-II) and norovirus (NoV) in oysters impacted by fecal contamination when both are detected using molecular approaches. Second, when using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and culture to detect FRNAPH-II genomes and infectious FRNAPH in oysters, respectively, it appears that genome detection provides limited information about the presence of infectious particles. The comparison of both genomes and infectious particles highlights that the main mechanism of virus elimination in oysters is inactivation. Finally, this study shows that none of the conditions tested modify virus removal.