ARS | Publication request: High pressure processing inactivates human norovirus within oysters

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 21, 2010
Publication Date: July 21, 2010
Citation: Kingsley, D.H., Leon, J.S., Richards, G.P., Flick, G., Lyon, G.M., Abdulhafid, G., Sobolik, J., Creadore, A., Seitz, S., Smith, E., Fernandez, M., Moe, C. 2010. High pressure processing inactivates human norovirus within oysters [abstract]. Annual Meeting at American Society for Virology. p. 1.

Technical Abstract: Consumption of raw bivalve mollusks can result in norovirus infection. One potential intervention for virus-contaminated shellfish is high pressure processing (HPP). Currently HPP is known to inactivate Vibrio bacteria, hepatitis A virus, and murine norovirus within oysters. To evaluate the potential of HPP to inactivate human norovirus (HuNV), a randomized double-blinded human challenge study with a safety-tested Norwalk virus inoculum (HuNV, G1.1) was performed. Oysters were seeded with 1,000 genomic copies of virus and three different HPP treatment conditions were tested: 1) A 5-min, 400-MPa treatment at 20C; 2) a 5-min, 400-MPa treatment at 5C or 3) a 5-min, 600-MPa treatment at 5C. Comparing infection rates among subjects who ingested non-pressure treated control oysters, to subjects who ingested oysters treated with either 400-MPa treatments (20C and 5C), we conclude that the 400-MPa was not effective at sanitizing norovirus-contaminated oysters. However, the 600-MPa treatment did completely inactivate 1000 RT-PCR units of G1.1 norovirus. These results demonstrate that HPP is a viable method for reducing the risk of norovirus contamination of raw shellfish but requires further optimization.