Detection of enteric viruses on strawberries and raspberries using capture by apolipoprotein H

Abstract

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) and the hepatitis A virus (HAV) are the main viral causes of foodborne illness worldwide. These viruses are frequently transmitted via fresh and frozen berries, such as strawberries and raspberries. ISO 15216:1 (2017), currently the preferred method for their detection, involves several steps and is time-consuming. Apolipoprotein H (ApoH) has been shown to have a strong affinity for several microorganisms, including HuNoVs. In this article, we report an ApoH-based method of capturing the HAV and HuNoVs adherent to berries and concentrating them for assay. The limit of detection of both viruses suspended in a buffer was low. On strawberries, the HAV was detected down to 104 genome copies/25 g in 100% of cases and down to 103 genome copies/25 g on raspberries in 50% of cases. This sensitivity was not significantly different from that of the ISO method 15216:1 (2017). HuNoV GII.4 was more difficult to detect using the ApoH method. The ApoH CaptoVIR kit does, nevertheless, appear to be usable in the near future as a single-test, multiple-detection method for viruses on fresh and frozen berries.