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Environmental Assessment of Classical Human Astrovirus in Uruguay

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the molecular epidemiology of classical human astrovirus (HAstV) strains in sewage samples from four Uruguayan cities: Bella Unión, Salto, Paysandú, and Fray Bentos, located in the Northwestern region of the country. Overall, 96 sewage samples were collected biweekly between March 2011 and February 2012 and were subject to ultracentrifugation methodology in order to concentrate the viruses. RT-PCR directed to the ORF2 genome region was performed followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Forty-three (45 %) out of 96 analyzed samples were positive for HAstV (Mamastrovirus 1) and 31 of them were successfully sequenced being 21 (49 %) of them classified as HAstV-1 genotype (1a lineage) and 10 (23 %) as HAstV-2 genotype (eight strains belonging to the 2d lineage and two strains to the 2c lineage). The 1a lineage circulated throughout the year, while the 2d lineage only in the coldest months (June to October). Strikingly, the 2c lineage was detected only in Salto city during March 2011. In this city it was observed the highest frequency of HAstV and the greatest genetic diversity, probably due to its role as high touristic spot with an important influx of visitants from others regions of Uruguay and also from other countries. This study constitutes the first report in Uruguay that describes the phylogenetic diversity and genotype distribution of HAstV strains circulating in the Northwestern region evidencing a high frequency and also the presence of several different lineages.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the financial support by ‘Polo de Desarrollo Universitario (PDU), Universidad de la República (UdelaR)’, Uruguay; project CISC I+D 2010 Universidad de la República (UdelaR), and Project PPCP 023/2011 of Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES, Brazil). We thank ‘Sección Bioquímica, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias’ and ‘Instituto Pasteur, Montevideo, Uruguay’, for technical assistance. MPM and JPGL are CNPq and Faperj fellowship. AL is a MSc student at ‘Programa de Desarrollo de las Ciencias Básicas—PEDECIBA’ and has a scholarship from ‘Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación—ANII’, Uruguay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Virología Molecular. Regional Norte – CENUR Noroeste, Universidad de la República, Gral. Rivera 1350, 50000, Salto, Uruguay

    A. Lizasoain, L. F. L. Tort, M. García, M. Victoria & R. Colina

  2. Laboratório de Virologia Comparada e Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, Brazil

    M. M. Gómez, J. P. G. Leite & M. P. Miagostovich

  3. Laboratorio de Virología Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay

    J. Cristina

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  1. A. Lizasoain
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  2. L. F. L. Tort
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  3. M. García
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  4. M. M. Gómez
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  5. J. Cristina
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  6. J. P. G. Leite
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  7. M. P. Miagostovich
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  8. M. Victoria
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  9. R. Colina
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Correspondence to R. Colina.

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Lizasoain, A., Tort, L.F.L., García, M. et al. Environmental Assessment of Classical Human Astrovirus in Uruguay. Food Environ Virol 7, 142–148 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-015-9186-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-015-9186-4

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