Georgette Fattal*(1), Abdul jalil Ghrewaty(2), Fateh Khatib(3), and Naim Al-Husein(1)
- Aleppo research center, General Commission of Scientific Agricultural research (GCSAR), Aleppo, Syria.
- Dept. of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology Engineering, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
- Dept. of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Georgette Fattal. E-Mail: Georgettefattal90@gmail.com )
Abstract
Vegetables are one of the most important sources of infection with foodborne viruses, causing several outbreaks around the world. This study aimed to detect Norovirus (NV), Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Hepatitis E virus (HEV) on vegetables using molecular techniques. Fresh vegetables were sampled from local markets and some fields planted on sides of the Quaiq river in Aleppo on different dates during 2018-2019. The samples were washed with elution buffer, and the viruses were concentrated by a cellulose-positive membrane. Reverse transcription was performed directly into the complementary DNA (cDNA) without RNA extraction. The detection of viruses was carried out using cDNA as a template in the PCR. The results showed that viruses were found on many leafy vegetables during autumn and spring. NV was found in 18.4% of the samples, HAV in 4.1%, and HEV in 2.05%.
Keywords: Molecular detection, foodborne disease, infectious viruses.
Full paper in Arabic: pdf