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Quantitative Detection of Human Adenovirus and Human Rotavirus Group A in Wastewater and El-Rahawy Drainage Canal Influencing River Nile in the North of Giza, Egypt

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Abstract

Environmental monitoring is critical in a developing country like Egypt where there is an insufficient framework for recording and tracking outbreaks. In this study, the prevalence of human adenovirus (HAdV), rotavirus group A (RVA) was determined in urban sewage, activated sludge, drainage water, drainage sediment, Nile water, and Nile sediment, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. HAdV was detected in 50% of urban sewage with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 genome copies/liter (GC/L), 33% of activated sludge with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/kilogram (GC/kg), 95% of drainage water with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, 75% of drainage sediment with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, 50% of Nile water with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, and 45% of Nile sediment with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/kg. RVA was detected in 50% of urban sewage with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, 75% of activated sludge with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, 58% of drainage water with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, 50% of drainage sediment with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/L, and 45% of Nile water with viral concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 GC/kg. In conclusion, Abu-Rawash WWTP acts as a source of HAdV and RVA, releasing them into El-Rahawy drain then to the River Nile Rosetta branch.

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Acknowledgements

This work was fully funded by Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) (2017–2019) title of the project: Improving environmental and health conditions for workers in Abu-Rawash wastewater treatment plant and remediation of pollution resources at El-Rahawy Drain.

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  1. Environmental Virology Laboratory, Department of Water Pollution Research, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt

    Elmahdy M. Elmahdy, Mohamed N. F. Shaheen & Neveen M. Rizk

  2. Environmental & Occupational Medicine Department, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

    Amal Saad-Hussein

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  1. Elmahdy M. Elmahdy
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Elmahdy, E.M., Shaheen, M.N.F., Rizk, N.M. et al. Quantitative Detection of Human Adenovirus and Human Rotavirus Group A in Wastewater and El-Rahawy Drainage Canal Influencing River Nile in the North of Giza, Egypt. Food Environ Virol 12, 218–225 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12560-020-09429-x

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