ARS | Publication request: Analysis of norovirus contamination of seafood

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 17, 2010
Publication Date: July 20, 2010
Citation: Arntzen, C., Kingsley, D.H., Herbst-Kralovetz, M., Lay, M., Sarker, S., Atmar, R., Estes, M., Nickerson, C. 2010. Analysis of norovirus contamination of seafood. [abstract]. Institute of Food Technologists. Annual Meeting and NIFA NRI/AFRI Meeting. p. 1.

Technical Abstract: The study of human norovirus (NoVs) replication in vitro would be a highly useful tool to virologists and immunologists. For this reason, we have searched for new approaches to determine viability of noroviruses in food samples (especially sea food). Our research team has multiple years of experience with 3-D cell cultures, and a strong interest in developing tools to analyze norovirus neutralization in vitro. In multiple experiments, we have followed published protocols for culture of intestinal-derived INT-407 cells and have used multiple strains of Norovirus (GI and GII) at different concentrations and levels of purity. Using highly purified virus produced by Mary Estes and colleagues, we saw no evidence for a productive infection of the 3-D cell cultures (in contrast to published observations). Although we are continuing with improvements in the 3-D cell culture system to find a means to culture norovirus cells, we are also branching out to use newly discovered peptide ligands (20 amino acids) which we have discovered as tools to bind to norovirus Virus-Like Particles. We will discuss the use of 3-D cell cultures as highly specific tools to determine viability of noroviruses in food samples, and companion efforts to devise rapid diagnostic tools to determine viable vs. killed virus using ligand-based diagnostics.