Comparison of two methods for virus recovery from mussels and oysters

Abstract

Two methods of virus extraction were tested, one of which, proposed by C. Finance et al., is accomplished by the action of a saline solution, pH 9, directly on the visceral mass. The other method, described by D. Baron, is based on elution of the virus from finely ground and homogenized shellfish tissue using a glycine buffer, pH 10. The results of this comparative study clearly show that the Baron method is much more effective at viral recovery. Total recoveries were 4- to 5-fold higher for mussels and 4- to 7-fold higher for oysters using the Baron method when compared with the Finance one. Addition of the E. Katzenelson concentration step to the Baron extraction method did not improve the final recovery but did facilitate viral isolation and quantification by reducing the eluate volume fourfold.