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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281462
Title: An introduction to food and waterborne viruses: diseases, transmission, outbreaks, detection and control

Author
item COOK, NIGEL - Food And Environmental Research Agency
item Richards, Gary

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2013
Publication Date: 6/16/2013
Citation: Cook, N., Richards, G.P. 2013. An introduction to food and waterborne viruses: diseases, transmission, outbreaks, detection and control. Book Chapter. Food and Waterborne Viruses, Woodhead Publishing Co, Cambridge, United Kingdom, pp.3-18..

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Enteric viruses are the number one cause of foodborne illness throughout the world. In addition to foods, contaminated drinking water is another major cause of enteric viral illness. Among the enteric viruses are the noroviruses, hepatitis A and E viruses, enteric adenoviruses, rotavirus, and astroviruses. This chapter introduces the reader to food- and waterborne viruses including the diseases they cause, modes of transmission, documented outbreaks, virus detection methods, and control strategies. Among the food commodities to be examined as possible sources of enteric virus contamination are fruits and vegetables, shellfish, bakery products, and meat and dairy products. Although most enteric viral illnesses are transmitted by person-to-person spread, mention is made for the zoonotic spread of some viruses by wild or domestic animals.