Recherche par < RT-PCR > des virus enteriques chez des moules (Mytilus galloprovincialis) et des palourdes (Ruditapes decussatus)

Abstract

In this study, two extraction methods of four enteric viruses types (Hepatitis A virus, astrovirus, norovirus and enterovirus) known to be pathogenic for human beings were applied on mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and clams (Ruditapes decussatus) and were comparatively evaluated by < Reverse Transcriptase- Polymerase Chain Reaction: RT-PCR >. Shellfish samples were collected between March 2000 and September 2001 in different natural sites of the Bizerta lagoon located in northern Tunisia and without undergoing the purification step. Results obtained here show that virus detection rate by RT-PCR is better when the viruses are extracted from stomach and digestive diverticula's rather than from the entire shellfish flesh and also, that 35% of the analyzed samples are contaminated by at least one type of the virus searched for.