Hepatitis A and E Viruses in Mussels from Cherrat Estuary in Morocco: Detection by Real-Time Reverse Transcription PCR Analysis

Hanaâ Bazir; Najwa Hassou; Fatiha El Mellouli; Hasnae Zekhnini; Saliha Najib; Moulay Mustapha Ennaji

doi:10.1155/2022/8066356

Hepatitis A and E Viruses in Mussels from Cherrat Estuary in Morocco: Detection by Real-Time Reverse Transcription PCR Analysis

Adv Virol. 2022 Nov 28:2022:8066356. doi: 10.1155/2022/8066356. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Hanaâ Bazir¹, Najwa Hassou¹, Fatiha El Mellouli², Hasnae Zekhnini², Saliha Najib³, Moulay Mustapha Ennaji¹

Affiliations

¹ Team of Virology Oncology and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Virology Oncology Biosciences Environment and New Energies, Faculty of Sciences & Technologies Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Casablanca, Morocco.
² Casablanca Regional Research and Analysis Laboratory of National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), Casablanca, Morocco.
³ Geology-Biology-Geography (GBG), Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) contamination in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Cherrat estuary (Moroccan Atlantic Coast), Morocco. In total, 52 samples (n = 12 mussels/each) were collected at four sites in the estuary, monthly, between March 2019 and March 2020. HAV and HEV were detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) according to the ISO/TS 15216 method. HAV was detected in 46.15% of analyzed samples. Conversely, HEV was not detected in any sample. Moreover, the HAV detection rate was significantly associated with seasonal rainfall variations. This qualitative study on HAV and HEV contamination highlights the interest of studying mussel samples from wild areas. As HAV presence in mussels represents a potential health risk, viral contamination surveillance of mussels is necessary to protect consumers. HAV shellfish contamination must be monitored at Cherrat estuary because of the role played by shellfish as HAV reservoirs and/or vehicles in fecal-oral HAV transmission.