When human viruses circulate in the environment, they are affected by many natural stressors that reduce their infectivity. The effects of abiotic stressors such as sunlight or oxidants have been studied in detail, including by LCE (see past projects). Much less understood are biological processes that cause virus inactivation, even though it is well-known that virus decay is faster in biologically active than in sterile samples. In this project, we are investigating how protists and bacteria contribute to the reduction in virus infectivity in surface water and lake water. We are studying the virucidal mechanisms of action of these microorganisms, and are quantifying their effect on virus persistence in surface water and wastewater.
Collaborators:
Niveen Ismail (Smith College, USA)
Mark Borchardt (USDA)
Joe Heffron (USDA)
Michael Zumstein (University of Vienna)
Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation