• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.633-641
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• 2015

Waterborne infectious disease is induced by several pathogenic microbes such as bacteria, viruses and protozoans, and the cases caused by viral infection is currently increasing. Water treatment process could reduce the number of virus in the water, but there were many difficulties to completely remove the virus particles from water. Therefore, the membrane separation technology which was reported to effectively remove pollutants from raw water has attracted increasing attention and demand. Since its efficiency has been introduced, demands for evaluation method toward the membrane filtration process are increasing. However, progression of the method development is slow due to the difficulties in cultivation of several waterborne viruses from animal models or cell culture system. To overcome the difficulties, we used adenovirus, one of the commonly isolated pathogenic waterborne viruses which can grow in cell culture system in vitro. The adenovirus used in this study was identified as human adenovirus C strain. The adenovirus was spiked in the raw water and passed through the microfiltration membrane produced by Econity, a Korean membrane company, and then the viral removal rate was evaluated by real-time PCR. In the results, the amount of virus in the filtered water was decreased approximately by 5 log scale. Because coagulant treatment has been known to reduce filtering function of the membrane by inducing fouling, we also investigated whether there was any interference of coagulant. In the results, we confirmed that coagulant treatment did not show significant interference on microfiltration membrane. In this study, we found that waterborne virus can be effectively removed by membrane filtration system. In particular, here we also suggest that real-time PCR method can rapidly, sensitively and quantitatively evaluate the removal rate of virus. These results may provide a standard method to qualifying membrane filtration processes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.197-205
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• 2003

We detested waterborne enteric viruses from the raw water and tap water in Busan metropolitan city by the total culturable virus assay of EPA standard method. According to the results of survey from July 2001 to November 2002, thirteen out of twenty one in raw water samples were positive (61.9%) for enteric viruses and all of the treated water and tap water samples were negative. The enteric viruses in raw water were mainly distributed through the summer to the earl y winter, suggesting the seasonal characteristics of virus distribution in water The titer of enteric viruses per 100 liters of the raw water was ranged from 1.92 to 9.70 MPN by TCVA-MPN program. The isolated viruses were identified as either human poliovirus type 1 or enteroviruses by the immunofluorescent assay.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.186-191
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• 2002

The usefulness of oligonucleotide DNA chip was evaluated for detection and primary level identification of major waterborne viruses in environmental samples. The enteric waterborne viruses included enterovirus, adenovirus, and rotavirus. Total intracellular RNA of 10 BGM cell plates showing virus-specific cytopathic effects was extracted at the third day after inoculation. The intracellular RNA was then subjected to either enterovirus-specific RT-PCR followed by sequencing analysis, or the DNA chip. Seven out of 10 positive samples in cell culture were positive but the other three sample were turned out to be negative by both RT-PCR and DNA chip analyses. Nucleotide sequencing results and the DNA chip hybridization results of the RT-PCR product were in complete agreement in the identification of the 7 positive samples as enteroviruses. Using the DNA chip, it took only 3∼4 hr to complete detection and primary level identification of target viruses and additional procedures such as gel electrophoresis or nucleotide sequencing were not necessary. We believe that the DNA chip system can be employed as a highly effective and new detection methodology for environmental viruses.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.142-142
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• 2001

A national survey for enteric virus contamination in treated water and its source water was performed from March to November 1999. The water samples were subjected to virus filtration at the major water plants producing over 10$^5$ tons treated water per day. Twenty surveyed sites encompass most of heavily populated residential area except for Seoul and Pusan. (omitted)

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.885-892
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• 2006

In order to investigate whether or not Total Coliforms (T.C.) and Fecal Coliforms (F.C.) are compatible as indicator microorganisms of waterbome enteric viruses, a total of 192 surface water samples from 24 locations in Korea were tested for T.C., F.C., and human enteric viruses from July 2003 to January 2006. Altogether, the number of T.C. in each samples was ranged from $0{\sim}5.3{\times}10^4$ colony forming unit(CFU)/100mL, and the number of F.C. ranged from $0{\sim}5.0{\times}10^3CFU/100mL$ per sample. Thirty-three percent of the samples tested positive for human enteric viruses after the total culturable virus assay. The results of the statistical analysis showed that T.C. and F.C. had a significant correlation with turbidity and temperature, but the waterbome enteric viruses did not. When compared to the number of T.C. or F.C. per sample, the concentration of waterbome enteric viruses was not found to be correlated. In conclusion, it is suggested that T.C. and F.C. may not be sufficient microbial indicators of waterbome enteric viruses in the samples analyzed in this study. However, further research is needed to find other microbial indicators of waterbome enteric viruses and to develop more advanced and sensitive methods to detect waterborne enteric viruses.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2019

Human Aichivirus A1 (HuAiV-A1) is a waterborne human pathogenic virus classified as Picornaviridae and Kobuvirus. In this study, we developed a method that can detect about 35 minutes faster with the same detection sensitivity level than the previously reported HuAiV-A1 diagnostic RT-PCR primer. The RT-PCR primer sets developed in this study are capable of detecting HuAiV-A1 at a level of about 100 ag and formed 563 bp amplification product. In addition, the RT-nested PCR method was able to amplify 410 bp using the RT-PCR product as a template. The detection sensitivity of our method was 10 times higher than the method with the highest detection sensitivity to date. Therefore, the detection method of HuAiV-A1 developed in this study is expected to be used in the water environment in which a small amount of virus exists. Also, this detection method is expected to be used as HuAiV-A1 diagnostic technology in both clinical and non-clinical field.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.461-466
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• 2013

From May to June 2012, a waterborne outbreak of 124 cases of cryptosporidiosis occurred in the plumbing system of an older high-rise apartment complex in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The residents of this apartment complex had symptoms of watery diarrhea and vomiting. Tap water samples in the apartment complex and its adjacent buildings were collected and tested for 57 parameters under the Korean Drinking Water Standards and for additional 11 microbiological parameters. The microbiological parameters included total colony counts, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus, fecal streptococcus, Salmonella, Shigella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cryptosporidium oocysts, Giardia cysts, total culturable virus, and Norovirus. While the tap water samples of the adjacent buildings complied with the Korean Drinking Water Standards for all parameters, fecal bacteria and Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in the tap water samples of the outbreak apartment complex. It turned out that the agent of the disease was Cryptosporidium parvum. The drinking water was polluted with sewage from a septic tank in the apartment complex. To remove C. parvum oocysts, we conducted physical processes of cleaning the water storage tanks, flushing the indoor pipes, and replacing old pipes with new ones. Finally we restored the clean drinking water to the apartment complex after identification of no oocysts.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.673-681
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• 2020

Human enteric Adenovirus 41 (HueAdV-41) is a major waterborne virus that causes human gastroenteritis and is classified as a viral group I double-strand DNA virus, Adenoviridae. HueAdV-41 has been detected with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in various samples such as ground water. However, the PCR-based diagnostic method has problems such as reaction time, sensitivity, and specificity. Thus, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has emerged as an excellent method for field applications. In this study, we developed a LAMP system that can rapidly detect HueAdV-41 with high specificity and sensitivity. HueAdV-41 specific LAMP primer sets were tested through a specific, non-specific selection and sensitivity test for three prepared LAMP primer sets, of which only one primer set and optimum reaction temperature were selected. The developed LAMP primer set condition was confirmed as 63℃, and the sensitivity was 1 copy. In addition, to confirm the system, a LAMP positive reaction was developed with the restriction enzyme Taq I (T/GCC). The developed method in this study was more specific, rapid (typically within 2 - 3 hours), and highly sensitive than that of the conventional PCR method. To evaluate and verify the developed LAMP assay, an artificial infection test was done with five cDNAs from groundwater samples, and the results were compared to those of the conventional PCR method. We expect the developed LAMP primer set will be used to diagnose HueAdV-41 from various samples.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.173-182
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• 2020

Human Astrovirus (HuAstV), known as a waterborne virus, is a group IV positive-sense single-stranded RNA that belongs to Astroviridae. The first outbreak of HuAstV was reported in England in 1975. HuAstV can exist not only among clinical patients but also in various water environments, such as water for agriculture and vegetables. For diagnosis of HuAstV from water samples, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system has been developed. However, the PCR-based diagnostic method has problems in field application, such as reaction time, sensitivity and specificity. For this reason, in this study we developed the loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (LAMP) system, aimed specifically at HuAstV. Three prepared LAMP primer sets were tested by specificity, non-specificity and sensitivity; one LAMP primer set was selected with optimum reaction temperature. The developed LAMP primer set reaction conditions were confirmed at 62℃, and detection sensitivity was 1 fg/μL. In addition, restriction enzyme HaeIII (GG/CC) was introduced to confirm that the LAMP reaction was positive. As a result, selected LAMP primer set was 100 - 1000 times more specific, rapid, and sensitive than conventional-nested PCR methods. For verification of the developed LAMP assay, twenty samples of cDNA from groundwater samples were tested. We expect that the developed LAMP assay will be used to diagnose HuAstV from various samples.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.258-269
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• 2018

Objectives: There was an outbreak of foodborne and waterborne disease among high school students at Okcheon in June, 2018. First attack occurred June $5^{th}$ but seven days later it was notified. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the pathogen of outbreak and cause of delayed notification. Methods: First, we did a questionnaire survey for 61 cases and 122 controls to find what symptoms they had and whether they ate foods or drank water from June $2^{nd}$ to June $12^{th}$. Second, we investigated the environment of cafeteria and drinking water. Third, we examined specimen of cases and environment to identify bacteria or virus. Results: Attack rate of this outbreak was 7.8%. Drinking water was strongly suspected as a source of infection in questionnaire survey but we could not find the exact time of exposure. Norovirus was identified in specimen of cases (2 students), drinking water (at main building and dormitory) and cafeteria (knife, dishtowel, hand of chef) Conclusions: We decided norovirus as the pathogen of this outbreak based on the clinical features of cases with diarrhea vomiting, abdominal pain and recovery within 2 or 3 days after onset, outbreak due to drinking water and microbiologic examination, And the cause of delayed notification might be the non-existence of the nurse teacher at that time and the lack of understanding of teachers on immediate notification under the outbreak. To prevent the delayed notification, notification system about outbreak of foodborne and waterborne disease in school is needed to be improved.