Genomic fragment detection and infectivity evaluation of rotaviruses isolated from wastewater used for irrigation in western Bogotá, D. C.

This study shows that contamination by group A rotavirus is frequent in wastewaters from the Canal San José in the La Ramada irrigation network in the western part of Bogotá and reveals high concentrations of rotavirus. The results suggest that villi from mouse intestines serve as a reliable model for isolating rotavirus from wastewaters. These findings provide a new approach for environmental health surveillance in Colombia, based on molecular epidemiology for waters highly contaminated with human enteric viruses.