TT Virus: A Potential Indicator of Human Enteric Viruses in Source and Drinking Waters

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。[08534559]人们普遍认识到，细菌指示物不会与传染性病毒同时发生，它们对环境或工程应激源的反应方式也不相同。因此，需要一种更适当的传染性病毒健康风险指标。本提案的主要目的是研究Torque Teno （TT）病毒作为替代病毒病原体指示物的效用。TT病毒是一种小的、无包膜的DNA病毒，可能表现出与致病性肠道病毒相似的运输特性。TT病毒在肠道病毒中是独特的，因为它似乎在人类中无处不在；引起看似无害的感染；没有季节性波动或疫情高峰；主要通过粪-口途径传播；并且可以使用快速的分子技术进行分析。这项研究将分四个阶段进行：(1)建立一个强大的TT病毒检测方法；(2)监测TT病毒在水源和水源中的密度和发生情况；(3)评估TT病毒与细菌指标、男性特异性噬菌体、诺如病毒和腺病毒的共存情况；(4)将TT病毒数据与大肠菌群、噬菌体和肠道病毒的发生和存活数据进行比较。本项目通过评估一个尚未被检验的指标，将极大地拓展对病毒病原体风险的认识和TT病毒作为一个指标体系的应用，并有可能开发一个全新的、可靠的、高效的病毒病原体风险指标体系。该项目将包括对学生的支持，并将为每个学生提供多学科的体验。学生们将有机会在会议上展示成果。调查人员都是女性，之前的工作中也涉及过代表性不足的学生。预计该项目将有助于改善公众健康，其成果将得到广泛传播。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).0853459LongIt is widely recognized that bacterial indicators do not co-occur with infectious viruses, nor do they respond in the same manner to environmental or engineered stressors. Thus, a more appropriate indicator for health risks of infectious viruses is needed. The principal objective of this proposal is to study the utility of the Torque Teno (TT) virus as an alternative viral pathogen indicator. TT virus is a small, non-enveloped DNA virus that likely exhibits similar transport characteristics to pathogenic enteric viruses. TT virus is unique among enteric viruses in that it appears to be present ubiquitously in humans; elicits seemingly innocuous infections; does not exhibit seasonal fluctuations or epidemic spikes; is transmitted primarily via the fecal-oral route; and can be assayed using rapid, molecular techniques. This research will be conducted in four phases: (1) to develop a robust TT virus assay, (2) to monitor the density and occurrence of TT virus in sources and source waters, (3) to assess the co-location of TT virus with bacterial indicators, male-specific coliphage, norovirus and adenovirus:, and (4) to compare TT virus data to occurrence and survival data for coliforms, coliphages and enteroviruses. This project will greatly expand the understanding of viral pathogen risk and the utility of TT virus as an indicator system by assessing an as yet untested indicator, and will potentially develop a completely new, reliable, efficient indicator system for viral pathogen risk. The project will include support of students and will offer a multi-disciplinary experience for each. The students will have the opportunity to present results at conferences. , and the investigators are women and have involved underrepresented students in their work previously. The project is expected to contribute to improving public health, and the results will be broadly disseminated.