Background: Human polyomavirus 2 (HPyV2 or JCPyV) is persistent in the environment due to its excretion in
urine and feces; it is detected in samples of wastewater, surface water and drinking water. A lack of basic sanitation
and sewage collection results in the presence of this virus in food, especially in oysters, since they are bioaccumulators
and are consumed in their natural form, thus posing a risk to human health.
Methods: This study investigated the frequency of HPyV2 in samples of oysters marketed in northeastern Par? State,
Brazil, and optimized a real-time PCR (qPCR) protocol for the detection of an endogenous oyster control. A total of 217
oysters in 22 pools from five municipalities in the state of Par? were analyzed. Samples underwent dissection and total
maceration of oyster tissue using a viral concentration technique, followed by DNA extraction with phenol-chloroform
and amplification of the VP1 region for molecular detection via qPCR.
Results: HPyV2 was detected in 18.2% (4/22) of the pooled samples, with frequencies of 25, 20, 20 and 16% in the
municipalities of Salin?polis, Augusto Corr?a, S?o Caetano de Odivelas and Curu??, respectively. Notably, the sample
pool from the municipality of Bragan?a did not have detectable HPyV2 and this was the only sampled location with a
water treatment station. In this study, Crassostrea genus-specific primers (AFL52 ribosomal RNA gene) of oyster were
developed for use as an endogenous control in the qPCR analysis, which will be useful for future studies.
Conclusions: The detection of HPyV2 in oyster samples commercialized in the state of Par? shows the circulation of
this virus in the studied municipalities. Thus, it is necessary to implement measures for improving sewage collection
and basic sanitation to avoid contamination of water and food with HPyV2
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