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Molecular detection of Aichi virus in raw sewage in Italy

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Abstract

Aichi virus (AiV) is suspected to play a role in viral gastroenteritis in humans. In this study, we assessed the presence of AiV in untreated influent sewage samples collected at four wastewater treatment plants in central Italy. AiV was detected in 6 (12.5 %) of the 48 specimens and in all plants. All of the Italian strains showed the highest nucleotide and amino acid sequence identity to genotype B AiV detected recently in Asia, especially in China.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Ruzzo Reti SpA for its technical support during sewage sample collection. This work was financed by grants from the University of Teramo, Italy, and from the Italian Ministry of University and Research.

Conflict of interest

All of the authors declare that there are no financial or other relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest. All of the authors have seen and approved the manuscript and have contributed significantly to the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Scienze Biomediche Comparate, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piazza Aldo Moro, 45-64100, Teramo, Italy

    Barbara Di Martino, Federica Di Profio, Chiara Ceci & Fulvio Marsilio

  2. Department of Scienze Cliniche Veterinarie, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy

    Elisabetta Di Felice

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  1. Barbara Di Martino
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  2. Federica Di Profio
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  3. Chiara Ceci
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  4. Elisabetta Di Felice
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  5. Fulvio Marsilio
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Correspondence to Barbara Di Martino.

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Di Martino, B., Di Profio, F., Ceci, C. et al. Molecular detection of Aichi virus in raw sewage in Italy. Arch Virol 158, 2001–2005 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-013-1694-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-013-1694-7

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