The present study attempted to assess the levels of enteric viruses, as well as their serotypes, present in the wastewaters of the central Athens sewer of Keratsini (Greece), and in the receiving coastal sea-waters in the vicinity. From the parallel examination of 24 samples from each sampling source, during 1985, viruses were detected in 100% of wastewaters and in 87.5% of the receiving sea-waters. The virus loads in the receiving waters, 100 meters away from the polluting source, were found to be as low as 13% of the total virus content detected at the polluting source. From the identification of the recovered field-isolates it was found that in the polluting source (wastewater) 13 different serotypes of enteroviruses were present (not including untyped isolates), where as in the receiving coastal waters were found nine different serotypes, which correlate with those found in sewage effluents. The maximum levels detected from both sources were found in late Summer early Fall.

Department of Virology Hellenic Pasteur Institute Athens Greece