Human enteroviruses (HEVs) occur in high concentrations in wastewater and can contaminate receiving environmental
waters, constituting a major cause of acute waterborne disease worldwide. In this study, we investigated the relative abundance, occurrence, and seasonal distribution of polio and other enteroviruses at three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)
in Naples, Southern Italy, from January 2010 to December 2014. Infuent and efuent samples from the three WWTPs were
collected monthly. One hundred and sixty-one of the 731 wastewater samples collected (22.0%) before and after water
treatment were CPE positive on RD cells; while no samples were positive on L20B cells from any WWTPs. Among the
140 non-polio enterovirus isolated from inlet sewage, 69.3% were Coxsackieviruses type B and 30.7% were Echoviruses.
Among these, CVB3 and CVB5 were most prevalent, followed by CVB4 and Echo6. The twenty-one samples tested after
treatment contained 6 CVB4, 5 CVB3, 3 Echo11, and 2 Echo6; while other serotypes were isolated less frequently. Data on
viral detection in treated efuents of WWTPs confrmed the potential environmental contamination by HEVs and could be
useful to establish standards for policies on wastewater manag

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• Large‑Scale Survey of Human Enteroviruses in Wastewater Treatment Plants of a Metropolitan Area of Southern Italy