Assessment of the Viruses in Sewage

Abstract

Sewage is an indication of the disease profile in a community. Enteric viruses, viruses found in the gastric intestinal tract of humans, are commonly transmitted fecal-oral route and are found in sewage. Some examples of enteric viruses in sewage sampling include polioviruses, enteroviruses, hepatitis A virus, echoviruses, reoviruses, etc. These viruses can cause a wide variety of diseases including hepatitis, encephalitis, myocarditis, meningitis. We expect to observe a seasonal change in disease profile. Using PCR, we analyzed sewage samples for the presence of Adenovirus, Enterovirus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis G, and Rotavirus using specific primer sets. In addition, we also analyzed sewage samples for bacteriophages. Due to the inevitable escalation of antibiotic-resistant microbes, the use of antibiotics to eradicate/treat bacterial infections is becoming a daunting problem. After a new form of antibiotics is released, resistances in microbes soon follow. Thus, the popularity of phage therapy has reemerged. Phages, the natural pathogen of bacteria, can be used to lyse the membrane of the cell, not allowing resistance to occur. This project focuses on the identification of enteric viruses in the community’s sewage sample and the application of bacteriophages that are able to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria.