Monitoring Enterovirus and Norovirus circulation in sewage water using isolation on cell culture lines and GeneXpert system

The co-circulation of the enterovirus and norovirus species was evaluated by culture and molecular methods, in the framework of the risk assessment for importation of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1(VDPV1), from Ukraine in Romania. 56 sewage water samples collected from the north and southeast Romania, between April and August 2017 were investigated. Xpert EV assay and Xpert Norovirus assay, standardized methods for the detection of human enterovirus (HEV) in the cerebrospinal fluid respectively for the detection of norovirus genogroups in stool samples, were used for the molecular detections of these viruses in the concentrated sewage water. Additionally, the cell culture lines were used for human enterovirus isolation. 18 human enteroviruses (32,14%) were detected by using the Xpert EV assay and 17 (30,35%) nonpolio enteroviruses (NPEV) were isolated on cell culture lines. Norovirus genogroup G II was detected in 20 samples (35,7%), followed by norovirus genogroups GI and GII, in 8 samples (14,28%). Taking into account our results, a new diagnostic algorithm could be evaluated in an emergency situation, the sewage water concentration by using the WHO method, and screening by molecular detection.