Abstract

GUTIERREZ, María Fernanda et al. Rotavirus presence in a waste composting process. Organic fertilizers as vehicles for viral contamination. Univ. Sci. [online]. 2009, vol.14, n.3, pp.206-215. ISSN 0122-7483.

Objective. To show the presence of rotavirus in different stages of a composting process: matrices used as raw material, mixture to be composted and the final product. Materials and methods. Immunochromatography, ELISA and RT-PCR were used for viral detection. Results. Rotavirus was found in the first composting step, no virus was found in the second step, and some inhibitory substances were found in the third step that posed difficulties in interpreting the PCR results and therefore providing a concluding result on rotavirus presence in the final product. Conclusions. Organic fertilizers can be vectors of human pathogenic viruses; therefore quality control tests must be implemented to avoid further viral dissemination. There are inhibitory substances present in organic fertilizers capable of interfering with the detection tests.

Keywords : composting; organic fertilizers; PCR inhibitors; rotavirus.

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