Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1995 Jan;61(1):92–97. doi: 10.1128/aem.61.1.92-97.1995

In situ inactivation of animal viruses and a coliphage in nonaerated liquid and semiliquid animal wastes.

F Pesaro 1, I Sorg 1, A Metzler 1
PMCID: PMC167264  PMID: 7887631

Abstract

The persistence of five animal viruses, representing picorna-, rota-, parvo-, adeno-, and herpesviruses, and the coliphage f2 was determined in the field by exposing the viruses to different animal wastes and by adopting an established filter sandwich technique. This technique allows us to copy the natural state of viruses in the environment, where adsorption onto or incorporation into suspended solids may prolong virus survival. Using filter sandwiches either equipped with porous (15 nm in diameter) or poreless polycarbonate (PC) membranes, it was possible to differentiate between overall virus inactivation and the effect of virucidal agents that act through poreless PC membranes. Depending on ambient temperature, pH, and type of animal waste, values for time, in days, required for a 90% reduction of virus titer varied widely, ranging from less than 1 week for herpesvirus to more than 6 months for rotavirus. Virus inactivation progressed substantially faster in liquid cattle manure, a mixture of urine and water (pH > 8.0), than in semiliquid wastes that consisted of mixtures of feces, urine, water, and bedding materials (pH < 8.0). Hitherto unidentified virucidal agents that permeate poreless PC membranes contributed substantially to the overall inactivation. On the other hand, substances that protect rotavirus and possibly other viruses from inactivation may be present in animal wastes. Together, the study showed that viruses contained in manure may persist for prolonged periods of time if stored under nonaerated conditions. At times of land application, this may lead to environmental contamination with pathogens.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (207.7 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berg G., Sullivan G., Venosa A. D. Low-temperature stability of viruses in sludges. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Mar;54(3):839–841. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.3.839-841.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brüssow H., Eichhorn W., Sotek J., Sidoti J. Prevalence of antibodies to four bovine rotavirus strains in different age groups of cattle. Vet Microbiol. 1990 Nov;25(2-3):143–151. doi: 10.1016/0378-1135(90)90073-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Burge W. D., Cramer W. N., Kawata K. Effect of heat on virus inactivation by ammonia. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Aug;46(2):446–451. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.2.446-451.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cramer W. N., Burge W. D., Kawata K. Kinetics of virus inactivation by ammonia. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Mar;45(3):760–765. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.3.760-765.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Deng M. Y., Cliver D. O. Degradation of Giardia lamblia cysts in mixed human and swine wastes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Aug;58(8):2368–2374. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.8.2368-2374.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Deng M. Y., Cliver D. O. Inactivation of poliovirus type 1 in mixed human and swine wastes and by bacteria from swine manure. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Jun;58(6):2016–2021. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.6.2016-2021.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kearney T. E., Larkin M. J., Levett P. N. The effect of slurry storage and anaerobic digestion on survival of pathogenic bacteria. J Appl Bacteriol. 1993 Jan;74(1):86–93. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1993.tb03000.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Keswick B. H. Survival of enteric viruses adsorbed on electropositive filters. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Aug;46(2):501–502. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.2.501-502.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Knowlton D. R., Ward R. L. Characterization of virucidal agents in activated sludge. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Apr;53(4):621–626. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.4.621-626.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Metzler A. E., Ossent P., Guscetti F., Rübel A., Lang E. M. Serological evidence of herpesvirus infection in captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). J Wildl Dis. 1990 Jan;26(1):41–49. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-26.1.41. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Monteith H. D., Shannon E. E., Derbyshire J. B. The inactivation of a bovine enterovirus and a bovine parvovirus in cattle manure by anaerobic digestion, heat treatment, gamma irradiation, ensilage and composting. J Hyg (Lond) 1986 Aug;97(1):175–184. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400064457. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sanders D. A., Malina J. F., Jr, Moore B. E., Sagik B. P., Sorber C. A. Fate of poliovirus during anaerobic digestion. J Water Pollut Control Fed. 1979 Feb;51(2):333–343. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Spillmann S. K., Traub F., Schwyzer M., Wyler R. Inactivation of animal viruses during sewage sludge treatment. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Sep;53(9):2077–2081. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.9.2077-2081.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Strauch D. Survival of pathogenic micro-organisms and parasites in excreta, manure and sewage sludge. Rev Sci Tech. 1991 Sep;10(3):813–846. doi: 10.20506/rst.10.3.565. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Traub F., Spillmann S. K., Wyler R. Method for determining virus inactivation during sludge treatment processes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Sep;52(3):498–503. doi: 10.1128/aem.52.3.498-503.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Ward R. L., Ashley C. S. Effects of wastewater sludge and its detergents on the stability of rotavirus. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Jun;39(6):1154–1158. doi: 10.1128/aem.39.6.1154-1158.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ward R. L., Ashley C. S. Identification of detergents as components of wastewater sludge that modify the thermal stability of reovirus and enteroviruses. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Dec;36(6):889–897. doi: 10.1128/aem.36.6.889-897.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ward R. L., Ashley C. S. Identification of the virucidal agent in wastewater sludge. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Apr;33(4):860–864. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.4.860-864.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ward R. L. Evidence that microorganisms cause inactivation of viruses in activated sludge. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 May;43(5):1221–1224. doi: 10.1128/aem.43.5.1221-1224.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Ward R. L. Mechanism of poliovirus inactivation by ammonia. J Virol. 1978 May;26(2):299–305. doi: 10.1128/jvi.26.2.299-305.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES