Occurrence of Hepatitis A Virus, Rotavirus and Astrovirus in Arca noae and Shrimp Samples Collected from Damanhur City, Egypt

Polluted seafood is a common mean of the transmission of foodborne viruses, such as rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, and astrovirus. Eating shellfish harvested from waters polluted with sewage has been associated with several viral foodborne outbreaks. The goal of the current study was to determine the prevalence of rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, and astrovirus in shrimp and Arca noae samples, collected from the local market in Damanhur City, Egypt. Samples of a hundred and twenty Arca noae and shrimp were examined. The RT- PCR was used to detect the predefined foodborne viruses. The current data confirmed that enteric viruses were detected in eleven out of 120 samples, but did not report astrovirus in any of the collected samples. RV and HAV were detected in 2/ 60 (3.3%), 2/ 60 (3.3%) of the shrimp samples and in 4/ 60 (6.6%), 3/60 (5%) of Arca noae samples, respectively. This study indicates that eating Arca noae in a raw condition, without any preparation, poses a serious public health risk since it can spread infections to food handlers and fishermen. In contrast, shrimp are usually cooked. Our research demonstrates that Arca noae and shrimp are contaminated with viruses, highlighting the necessity of virological monitoring programs to guarantee the safety and quality of shellfish for human consumption, as well as serving as an invaluable surveillance tool to track new viral strains and emerging viruses.