Human adenovirus detection in rural community water sources in central-west Brazil

Introduction: Poor and limited access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, common in rural communities in developing countries, may lead to a high burden of enteric infections and the spread of fecal organisms. In the absence of a public water distribution network, rural areas obtain their water supply from surface and/or groundwater sources, where microbial quality is often unknown. Because adenoviruses are highly persistent in water and widely distributed in the environment, they have become an important group of enteric viruses and may potentially be involved in waterborne outbreaks. Materials and methods: A total of 160 water samples obtained from surface and groundwater sources in rural and traditional communities across Goiás, Brazil, were analyzed for the presence of Human Adenovirus C following viral concentration, nucleic acid extraction, and molecular detection. Results: Human Adenovirus C was detected in 9.4% (15/160) of the samples. Positive samples from groundwater sources had a frequency of 9.8% (12/122). Human adenovirus samples were also detected in samples from cisterns with rainwater (15.8%), deep tubular wells (11.1%), shallow tubular wells (12.9%), shallow dug wells (6.4%) and spring water (11.8%). No virus was found using the techniques adopted in the surface water and water truck samples. Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the need for greater investments in basic sanitation services in rural areas, in addition to supporting decision-makers in identifying water sources used by the population that may be contaminated. The identification and characterization of these pathogens are important for reducing public health risks associated with waterborne pathogens, especially in the State of Goiás.