Molecular Surveillance of Enteroviruses in Al-Zarqa River, Jordan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Volume 13, Number 3, September 2020 ISSN 1995-6673 JJBS Pages 327 - 335 Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences Molecular Surveillance of Enteroviruses in Al-Zarqa River, Jordan Ismail Saadoun1,*, Qotaiba Ababneh2, Ziad Jaradat2 and Mamdoh M. Meqdam3 1 Department of Applied Biology, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah-United Arab Emirates; 2Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Science and Arts; 3Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan Received June 18, 2019; Revised September 7, 2019; Accepted September 16, 2019 Abstract This study is concerned with Al-Zarqa River, one of the major water resources in Jordan. It investigated its surface water quality with respect to the occurrence and serotypes of enteroviruses in different water samples collected from the river over a period of 11 months. Viruses were concentrated from river water, raw sewage and effluent samples with a calculated % recovery yield ranged between 2% and 8%. The concentrations of enteroviruses ranged between 3.3 and 6.3X103 pdu/ml, with a mean of 2.5X103 pdu/ml in raw sewage. Thirty-three samples were examined for the presence of enteroviruses by means of RT-PCR and southern blotting hybridization. Enteroviruses were detected in 14 (42%) of the samples. Sequence analysis of RT-PCR products followed by phylogenetic analysis revealed the frequent detection of coxsackievirus B4 and poliovirus serotype type 1, while the remainder comprised coxsackievirus B3, echovirus 9 and echovirus 11. Enteroviruses sequences isolated from samples collected from different sites along the river were similar, but differences were observed in samples collected from the same sites at different times. Circulation of enterovirus in sewage and water, serotyping and phylogenetic analysis enabled us to trace back the source of enterovirus contamination. Keywords: Enterovirus; phylogeny; serotype; Zarqa River; wastewater a good indicator of the infectious status of a population, 1. Introduction public health in general, (Sibanda and Okoh, 2012), and water safety and quality (Pina et al., 1998). Furthermore, It is estimated that, more than 100 different types of viruses are more resistant to commonly employed water potentially pathogenic microorganisms that may cause an and wastewater disinfection solutions. Thus, viruses can immense range of diseases and clinical symptoms can be easily be harbored in “microbiologically immaculate” present in polluted water (Iwai et al., 2006). Transmission water (Payment et al., 1994; Leeds, 2002). of pathogens via the environment can clearly result in In Jordan, many cases of enteric viral diseases, such as infections and diseases to both humans and animals, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A and aseptic meningitis have resulting in the circulation of pathogens in the environment been reported (Toukan et al., 1988; Meqdam et al., 1997a, (Westrell, 2004). Heavy rains can cause run-offs from 1997b; Battikhi, 2002; Meqdam et al., 2002; Battikhi and agriculture land and will reintroduce pathogens from Battikhi, 2004; Nimri et al., 2004; Khuri-Bulos and Al sludge and manure into rivers, which can contribute Khatib, 2006). These studies indicated that there is a direct substantial loads of pathogens (Hansen and Ongerth, 1991; or indirect possibility of viral occurrence in and/or viral Kistemann et al., 2002; Ferguson et al., 2003). infection through water environment. Three independent Al-Zarqa River is the only inland river in Jordan, and is studies were carried out to investigate the enteroviruses the second main tributary to River Jordan after Yarmouk prevalence in Jordan (Reichler et al., 1997a, 1997b; River. The pathogens of main concern in the Al-Zarqa Meqdam et al., 2002). However, all these studies were River basin include bacteria, protozoa and viruses with the based on detecting enteroviruses from clinical samples latter being of main concern as they generally pose a collected from children and adults. Another study greater challenge than bacteria and protozoa in food and performed by Malkawi and Shaban (2007) aimed to detect wastewater treatment (Sibanda and Okoh, 2012). The risk enteroviruses in different domestic water resources such as of viral infections can be 10 to 1,000 times higher than that home water tanks and wells. for bacteria at a similar level of exposure (Rose and Gerba, The very limited data on viral occurrence in water in 1991). In addition, viruses can survive in water longer than Jordan makes it difficult to determine the health risks bacteria, and can tolerate greater variations in temperature associated with these viruses. Moreover, to prevent and pH [6, 8] (Maunula et al., 2005; Sibanda and Okoh, diseases induced by waterborne viruses, a survey of viral 2012). Therefore, the presence of waterborne viruses as occurrence in the water environment is badly needed. enteric viruses in sewage and surface waters is considered Therefore, in this study, Al-Zarqa River, one of the major * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]. 328 © 2020 Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences. All rights reserved - Volume 13, Number 3 water resources in Jordan, was chosen in order to Table 1. The location, type, number and the volume of the investigate its surface water quality with respect to the samples collected along Al-Zarqa River. presence of waterborne human pathogenic viruses, Type of No. of Site Description of the site especially the enteroviruses. The study is considered as the sample samples first to investigate the types of enteroviruses in water Composite A ASWWTP inlet 3 environmental samples collected from Al-Zarqa River, Raw sewage with a special focus on the serotypes and phylogeny of Composite B ASWWTP outlet 3 enteroviruses. Treated water C 2 km downstream the ASWWTP, Surface river 7 2. Materials and Methods near Al-Hashemia city water D 11 km downstream the ASWWTP, Surface river 7 2.1. Site Location and Background. Al-Sukhna town water E Al-Sukhna town bridge Untreated 3 Aquifers and basins represent Jordan’s primary water sources of water. Amman-Zarqa Basin is the second F 40 km downstream the ASWWTP, Pond water 3 largest basin after The Yarmouk Basin with an area of Jerash bridge 2 about 3,900 km . The basin is located in the most densely G 40 km downstream the ASWWTP, Surface river 7 populated area in Jordan, accounting for 65% of Jordan's Jerash bridge water population and 90% of the industries in the country (Arab Total 33 Environment Monitor (AEM) 2006). In addition, the basin provides irrigation for 8,400 hectares of land around. With the high population growth and high demand on water; the basin is subject to increased exploitation of its natural base-flow to an irreversible state (AEM 2006). Moreover, the annual effluent of treated domestic and wastewater treatment plants (total of 60 million cubic meters) has been contributing to nearly all of its summer flow (Optimization for Sustainable Water Resources Management (OPTIMA) 2006). As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant (ASWWTP) (Fig. 1) is heavily overloaded with domestic wastewater effluent from the Amman-Zarqa basin containing high organic loads, plus industrial wastewater containing chemical and organic pollutants. Furthermore, ASWWTP receives domestic wastewater from about 2 million Figure 1. Locations of sampling sites along Al-Zarqa River. A: inhabitants in Jordan. Due to this high load, ASWWTP ASWWTP inlet; B: ASWWTP outlet; C: 2 km downstream the performance has been deteriorating over the years, ASWWTP, Al-Hashemia city; D: 10 km downstream the resulting in lowering the effluent quality and deteriorating ASWWTP, Al-Sukhna town; E: Al-Sukhna town bridge; F: 40 the groundwater quality in Zarqa basin to a level that is km downstream the ASWWTP, Jerash bridge, Jordan Modern Private Nursery; G: 40 km downstream the ASWWTP, Jerash unsuitable for irrigation (AEM 2006), thus undermining bridge, Jordan Modern Private Nursery. the quality of life of residential communities in the Amman-Zarqa basin (Westrell 2004; De Luca et al., 2.3. Concentration of Samples. 2013). Surface water samples were concentrated by the 2.2. Collection of Raw, Treated Sewage, Surface Water adsorption-elution method (Haramoto et al. 2005) with and Pond Water Samples. modifications. Seven to eight liters of surface water A total of 33 samples of raw sewage, treated sewage, samples were first allowed to reach the room temperature; surface and pond water were collected over a period of one the pH was then adjusted to 3.5 with 0.1 N NaOH year (Table 1). All the 33 water and effluent samples were (Frutarom, UK). The adjusted samples were pumped collected from places along the Zarqa River at different through a glass filter (Millipore, Ireland) and 0.45 µm distances from the ASWWTP effluent to study the types mixed cellulose ester (Millipore, Ireland). Filter-adsorbed and quantities of enteroviruses. Figure 1 presents a viruses were eluted with sterile 200 ml of 0.1% skimmed summary of the samples and the map shows physically the milk (Oxoid, UK) in 0.05 M Glycine buffer (pH 9.5) places along the river where the samples were collected. (Biorad, Italy) and kept in sterile bottles. Further Samples were kept cool and processed as soon as possible concentration was done by organic flocculation after or stored at -70 °C until processed. lowering the pH of the eluent to 4.5, followed by centrifugation at 4500 rpm for 30 min at 12°C. The resulting pellet was resuspended in a 10 ml sterile Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.2) (Lonza, Belgium) and stored at -70°C until subjected to RNA extraction. Composite raw and treated sewage samples were concentrated by a two-phase separation method described by van den Berg et al. (2005). The average concentrate © 2020 Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences. All rights reserved - Volume 13, Number 3 329 volume was 2 ml and it was stored at -70°C until subjected 2.7.