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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2009, p. 2798-2801, Vol. 75, No. 9
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01807-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Detection of Adenoviruses and Rotaviruses in Drinking Water Sources Used In Rural Areas of Benin, West Africa{triangledown}

Jens Verheyen,1* Monika Timmen-Wego,1 Rainer Laudien,2 Ibrahim Boussaad,1 Sibel Sen,1 Aynur Koc,1 Alexandra Uesbeck,3 Farouk Mazou,4 and Herbert Pfister1

Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany,1 Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany,2 Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Hygiene, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany,3 Impetus Laboratory, Parakou, Benin4

Received 5 August 2008/ Accepted 24 February 2009

Diseases associated with viruses also found in environmental samples cause major health problems in developing countries. Little is known about the frequency and pattern of viral contamination of drinking water sources in these resource-poor settings. We established a method to analyze 10 liters of water from drinking water sources in a rural area of Benin for the presence of adenoviruses and rotaviruses. Overall, 541 samples from 287 drinking water sources were tested. A total of 12.9% of the sources were positive for adenoviruses and 2.1% of the sources were positive for rotaviruses at least once. Due to the temporary nature of viral contamination in drinking water sources, the probability of virus detection increased with the number of samples taken at one test site over time. No seasonal pattern for viral contaminations was found after samples obtained during the dry and wet seasons were compared. Overall, 3 of 15 surface water samples (20%) and 35 of 247 wells (14.2%) but also 2 of 25 pumps (8%) tested positive for adenoviruses or rotaviruses. The presence of latrines within a radius of 50 m in the vicinity of pumps or wells was identified as being a risk factor for virus detection. In summary, viral contamination was correlated with the presence of latrines in the vicinity of drinking water sources, indicating the importance of appropriate decision support systems in these socioeconomic prospering regions.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Fürst Pückler Str. 56, 50935 Cologne, Germany. Phone: 49/221/4783927. Fax: 49/221/4783905. E-mail: jens.verheyen{at}uk-koeln.de

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 6 March 2009.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2009, p. 2798-2801, Vol. 75, No. 9
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01807-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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