ENTERIC VIRUS POLLUTION OF TYRRHENIAN AREAS

63 samples (53 seawater and 10 estuarine water samples) of 20 L were o btained during a bathing season from 47 seawater stations and from 1 e stuarine station. To determine viral pollution, all samples were subje cted to two different methods of viral concentration: tangential ultra filtration and adsorption-elution with electropositive membranes. Dete ction of viruses was by cytopathic effect (CPE) in BGM and NA104 cells . Isolates were identified by dot-blot hybridization and Polyacrylamid e Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE). While estuarine water showed enterovirus and/or reovirus presence in 100% of samples, only 14 stations of 47 s eawater station samples (30%) showed viral contamination: enteroviruse s were isolated from 6 and reoviruses from 8 of the 14 stations. 28 un identified viruses were detected from seawater in MA104 cells by CPE w hereas these viruses were not detected in BGM cells. Enterovirus recov ery seems to be better when water samples are concentrated by the tang ential ultrafiltration than with absorption-elution with electropositi ve membranes. For reoviruses and the other viruses the two methods wer e almost equivalent. BGM cells seem to be more susceptible to enterovi ruses, MA104 to reoviruses. Reoviruses failed to indicate enterovirus presence as most of enteroviruses were isolated in waters where reovir us was not observed. Isolated viral species distribution changed durin g bathing season.