History of the Wastewater Assessment of Polio and Non-Polio Enteroviruses in the Slovak Republic in 1963-2019

Viruses. 2022 Jul 22;14(8):1599. doi: 10.3390/v14081599.

Abstract

We describe the genesis of poliovirus (PV) and non-polio enterovirus (NPEV) surveillance program of sewage wastewaters from its inception to the present in the Slovak Republic (SR). Sampling procedures and evolution of the methodology used in the SR for the detection of PVs and NPEVs are presented chronologically. For statistical data processing, we divided our dataset into two periods, the first period from 1963 to 1998 (35 years), and the second period from 1999 to 2019 (21 years). Generalized additive models were used to assess temporal trends in the probability of occurrence of major EV serotypes during both periods. Canonical correspondence analysis on relative abundance data was used to test temporal changes in the composition of virus assemblages over the second period. The probability of occurrence of major viruses PV, coxsackieviruses (CVA, CVB), and Echoviruses (E)) significantly changed over time. We found that 1015 isolated PVs were of vaccine origin, called "Sabin-like" (isolates PV1, PV2, PV3). The composition of EV assemblages changed significantly during the second period. We conclude that during the whole period, CVB5, CVB4, and E3 were prominent NPEVS in the SR.

Keywords: enterovirus; non-polio enteroviruses; polio surveillance in Slovak Republic; wastewater assessment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Enterovirus Infections* / epidemiology
  • Enterovirus*
  • Humans
  • Poliovirus*
  • Slovakia / epidemiology
  • Wastewater

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Waste Water

Grants and funding

Project funds of the Ministry of Health MZSR 2016/3-RUVZBB, National Reference Centers of the Ministry of Health NRC IEV; Public Health Authority of Slovak Republic, Bratislava; Regional Public Health Authority, Banska Bystrica; Regional Public Health Authority, Kosice. Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic; M. Svitok was supported by the Operational Programme Integrated Infrastructure (OPII), funded by the ERDF [ITMS 313011T721].