DETECTION OF HUMAN BOCAVIRUS SPECIES 2 AND 3 IN BIVALVE SHELLFISH IN ITALY.

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DETECTION OF HUMAN BOCAVIRUS SPECIES 2 AND 3 IN BIVALVE SHELLFISH IN ITALY.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2018 Jan 19;:

Authors: La Rosa G, Purpari G, Guercio A, Di Bella S, Gucciardi F, Proroga YTR, Pisanu M, Della Libera S, Iaconelli M, Suffredini E

Abstract
Human bocavirus (HBoV) has been shown to be a common cause of respiratory infections and gastroenteritis in children. Recently, HBoVs have been detected in sewage and river waters in Italy and worldwide. However, no studies are yet available on their presence in other water environments and in bivalve molluscs.In this study, 316 bivalve shellfish samples collected in three Italian regions over a six-year period (2012-2017) were analyzed by nested PCR and sequencing using broad-range primer pairs targeting the capsid proteins VP1/VP2 of HBoV. The virus was detected in 27 samples (8.5% of the total) and a statistically significant difference was found within the three regions. Further 13 samples, collected in geographic and temporal proximity to positive samples, were included in the study to assess the spread of HBoV in shellfish production areas at the time of contamination. Twelve of these additional samples were found positive for HBoV. All positive samples in this study were characterized as HBoV Species 2 (17 samples, 8 different sequences) or Species 3 (22 samples, 4 different sequences).This study reports the occurrence of HBoV in bivalve shellfish, and shows evidence of considerable spatial spread of the virus throughout shellfish production areas. Further studies are needed to elucidate both the role of HBoV as an agent for gastroenteritis and the risk for foodborne transmission of this virus.IMPORTANCE Human Bocavirus is recognized as an important cause of acute respiratory tract infections, and has been recently considered an etiological agent of gastroenteritis in the pediatric population. Our findings document that HBoV are detected in bivalve shellfish with a relevant prevalence, and suggest that an assessment of the risk for foodborne transmission of these viruses should be undertaken.

PMID: 29352084 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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