Viral pathogens in effluent samples collected from a swine slaughterhouse in Central Italy: a 1-year molecular surveillance
Abstract
IntroductionMolecular screening for zoonotic and species-specific viral pathogens in environmental samples is essential for obtaining epidemiological data to support risk-based assessments in the food industry, particularly in settings such as slaughterhouses.MethodsThis study screened 72 effluent specimens collected between January and December 2025 from two sites within a domestic pig slaughterhouse in Central Italy: the stocking yard (V1) and the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP; V2). The viruses investigated were astrovirus, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus (HEV), norovirus (NoV), and rotavirus (RV). Viral detection was performed using real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, followed by phylogenetic analysis.ResultsThe results showed that ribonucleic acid (RNA) from at least one of the target viruses was detected in 37.50% of the specimens, with HEV3-c detected in 26.39%, NoV-GII.3 in 12.50%, and NoV-GI.4 in 9.72%. Among the positive effluent samples, 62.96% were collected at V1 and 37.04% at V2. Samples from V1 exhibited higher viral loads, with HEV RNA levels reaching (105) genome equivalents per milliliter (GE/mL) and NoV-GI and NoV-GII RNA levels reaching (103) GE/mL, compared with (103) GE/mL for HEV RNA and (101) GE/mL for NoV-GI and NoV-GII RNA in samples from V2.DiscussionThe detection of viral RNA sequences both before and after WWTP treatment highlights scientific and regulatory concerns regarding the potential dissemination of zoonotic and species-specific viruses into the environment. Regulatory gaps in the management and monitoring of these environmental matrices underscore the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to addressing this One Health issue.
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BibTeX
@article{ferri2026viral,
title = {{Viral pathogens in effluent samples collected from a swine slaughterhouse in Central Italy: a 1-year molecular surveillance}},
author = {Gianluigi Ferri and Giovanni Loris Alborali and Alberto Olivastri and Maria Antonietta Piccioni and Adriana Ianieri and Alberto Vergara},
journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2026.1957130},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1957130},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Viral pathogens in effluent samples collected from a swine slaughterhouse in Central Italy: a 1-year molecular surveillance
AU - Gianluigi Ferri
AU - Giovanni Loris Alborali
AU - Alberto Olivastri
AU - Maria Antonietta Piccioni
AU - Adriana Ianieri
AU - Alberto Vergara
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Frontiers in Microbiology
DO - 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1957130
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1957130
AB - IntroductionMolecular screening for zoonotic and species-specific viral pathogens in environmental samples is essential for obtaining epidemiological data to support risk-based assessments in the food industry, particularly in settings such as slaughterhouses.MethodsThis study screened 72 effluent specimens collected between January and December 2025 from two sites within a domestic pig slaughterhouse in Central Italy: the stocking yard (V1) and the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP; V2). The viruses investigated were astrovirus, hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus (HEV), norovirus (NoV), and rotavirus (RV). Viral detection was performed using real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, followed by phylogenetic analysis.ResultsThe results showed that ribonucleic acid (RNA) from at least one of the target viruses was detected in 37.50% of the specimens, with HEV3-c detected in 26.39%, NoV-GII.3 in 12.50%, and NoV-GI.4 in 9.72%. Among the positive effluent samples, 62.96% were collected at V1 and 37.04% at V2. Samples from V1 exhibited higher viral loads, with HEV RNA levels reaching (105) genome equivalents per milliliter (GE/mL) and NoV-GI and NoV-GII RNA levels reaching (103) GE/mL, compared with (103) GE/mL for HEV RNA and (101) GE/mL for NoV-GI and NoV-GII RNA in samples from V2.DiscussionThe detection of viral RNA sequences both before and after WWTP treatment highlights scientific and regulatory concerns regarding the potential dissemination of zoonotic and species-specific viruses into the environment. Regulatory gaps in the management and monitoring of these environmental matrices underscore the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to addressing this One Health issue.
SN - 1664-302X
ER -