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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #276316
Title: Detection of enteric viruses in shellfish

Author
item Richards, Gary
item CLIVER, DEAN - University Of California
item GREENING, GAIL - Institute Of Environmental Science And Research

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/6/2013
Publication Date: 8/25/2013
Citation: Richards, G.P., Cliver, D.O., Greening, G.E. 2013. Detection of enteric viruses in shellfish. Meeting Proceedings. G. Sauve, editor In Molluscan Shellfish Safety, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 12-17, 2011.Springer, New York, pp. 177-183.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Norovirus and hepatitis A virus contamination are significant threats to the safety of shellfish and other foods. Methods for the extraction and assay of these viruses from shellfish are complex, time consuming, and technically challenging. Here, we itemize some of the salient points in extracting viruses from shellfish tissues and analyzing the extracts. A more comprehensive treatment of these topics will soon be available in: Richards, G. P., Cliver, D. O., & Greening, G. E. (in press). Foodborne viruses. Compendium of methods for the microbiological examination of foods, 5th ed., American Public Health Association, Washington, DC. Here, we describe some of the basic principles of virus extraction and molecular assay of viruses in shellfish, the importance of controls, and the limitations of both the extraction and assay methods. Recent efforts to validate methods for virus detection in shellfish center on a method currently in use in Canada and another method under validation in the European Union. The availability of such methods is important in tracking sources of outbreaks and may lead to the establishment of routine monitoring programs.