Application of Gene Probes to Poliovirus and Hepatitis A Virus Detection in Water and Shellfish

Viral gastroenteritis and hepatitis A virus transmission by shellfish continues to occur in the United States. Current methods for the detection of enteric viruses in cell culture take several days to weeks.Many rapid techniques such as immunoassays (i.e. enzyme-linked-immuno assay) lack the needed sensitivity for the detection of low numbers of viruses likely to be present in shellfish. Recently we have developed cDNA probes for poliovirus type 1 and hepatitis A virus labeled with both 32p dATP and dCTP which are capable of detecting as little as one fg of nucleic acid or one tissue culture infectious dose of poliovirus type 1 or one radio-immunofocus unit of hepatitis A virus. Results are obtained within 72 hours as cell culture is not necessary.We have successfully applied this method to the detection of enteroviruses in both water and shellfish concentrates.