Distinct kinetics and mechanisms of microbial inactivation of enteric virus revealed by capsid and genome Integrity
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Enteric viruses are important contaminants of surface waters and a significant burden on public health. In aquatic ecosystems, the stability of these pathogens is differentially impacted by abiotic and biotic stressors, which can exert inactivating effects. Here, we investigated the fate of two enteroviruses, echovirus 11 (E11) and coxsackievirus B5 (CVB5), and one adenovirus, human adenovirus 2 (HAdV2), in lakewater and explored the mechanisms underlying their microbial inactivation. By combining infectivity assays, genome quantification, and capsid integrity analysis, we characterized virus-specific inactivation kinetics and mechanisms and examined the relationship between infectivity loss and capsid structural integrity. We observed rapid, intermediate, and negligible decay for HAdV2, E11, and CVB5, respectively, and confirmed that microbial proteases contribute to their inactivation. In addition, we revealed that loss of capsid structural integrity drives E11 inactivation, but not HAdV2 inactivation. Genome decay did not consistently correlate with loss of infectivity, highlighting the limitations of genome-based detection for assessing the presence of infectious viruses. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms governing virus inactivation in aquatic environments and emphasize the importance of understanding viral fate when interpreting molecular detection data to assess virus-associated microbial risks.
Importance
Enteric viruses are common contaminants of surface waters and pose important risks to human health. However, the stability of these viruses in water varies widely and is influenced by many environmental factors. In this study, we investigated how microbial activity causes the inactivation of three enteric viruses in lakewater. We found substantial differences in virus stability and showed that microbial enzymes that break down proteins contribute to virus inactivation. We additionally found that virus structural damage is associated with the inactivation of one virus, but not of another, and that quantification of virus genetic material does not reliably indicate levels of infectious virus particles. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how viruses behave in surface waters and can help inform approaches for monitoring viral contamination and assessing potential risks to human health.
