Dynamic and Seasonal Distribution of Enteric Viruses in Surface and Well Water in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

Islem Abid; Albert Blanco; Nawal Al-Otaibi; Susana Guix; Maria I Costafreda; Rosa M Pintó; Albert Bosch

doi:10.3390/pathogens12121405

Dynamic and Seasonal Distribution of Enteric Viruses in Surface and Well Water in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

Pathogens. 2023 Nov 29;12(12):1405. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12121405.

Authors

Islem Abid¹, Albert Blanco^{2

3}, Nawal Al-Otaibi⁴, Susana Guix^{2

3}, Maria I Costafreda^{2

3}, Rosa M Pintó^{2

3}, Albert Bosch^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia.
² Enteric Virus Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, School of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
³ Research Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety (INSA-UB), University of Barcelona, 08921 Barcelona, Spain.
⁴ Department of Botany and Microbiology, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Enteric viruses are the major cause of gastroenteritis and enteric hepatitis worldwide, but in some areas like Saudi Arabia, little is known about their presence in water sources. The available information from clinical samples is not enough to figure out their actual prevalence. The aim of this study was to gather information for the first time in Saudi Arabia on the presence of the Norovirus (NoV) genogroup GI and GII, hepatitis A virus (HAV), and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in water. For this purpose, thirteen monthly samples were collected from Lake Wadi Hanifa and surrounding wells from December 2014 to November 2015. Viruses were detected and quantified using real-time RT-qPCR. Despite HEV findings being anecdotic, our results highlight interesting behaviors of the other viruses. There was a higher prevalence of noroviruses in Wadi Hanifa samples than in well water samples (46.43% vs. 12.5% of NoV GI; 66.67% vs. 8.33% of NoV GII). On the contrary, similar levels of HAV positivity were observed (40.48% in surface water vs. 43.06% in well water). Also, a strong influence of flooding events on HAV and NoV GI occurrence was observed in both surface and well water samples, with NoV GII apparently not affected.

Keywords: hepatitis A; hepatitis E; norovirus; real-time RT-qPCR.

Grants and funding

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project no. (IFKSUOR3–270-1). This work was also supported in part by the XRB-Biotechnology Reference Network (Generalitat de Catalunya).