PCR detects viral RNA even after complete viral inactivation by UV irradiation, demonstrating that it does not exclusively detect viable microorganisms.
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PCR positivity after UV inactivation cautions against molecular-only viability assessment; leaves open culture assay requirements for disinfection validation.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used for the detection of microorganisms in water, but it is known that one does not detect only viable microorganisms by PCR. The following results show the detection of poliovirus on a cell culture assay and by PCR after inactivation by UV irradiation. The virus was irradiated with a low pressure mercury lamp with times up to 4000 seconds (=3980 J/m 2 ). A 4 log inactivation of the virus was complete after 300 seconds (=294 J/m 2 ) as shown by the cell culture assay. The viral RNA was detectable by PCR even at irradiation times of 4000 seconds.
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A 1995 study studied this question.
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