Efficacy of Nucleic Acid Probes for Detection of Poliovirus in Water Disinfected by Chlorine, Chlorine Dioxide, Ozone, and UV Radiation.

MilliQ water was inoculated with poliovirus type 1 strain LSc-1 and was treated with disinfectants, including chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, and UV light. No relationship between probes and plaque assays were seen, demonstrating that viral nucleic acids were not destroyed. These findings suggest that nucleic acid probes cannot distinguish between infectious and noninfectious viruses and cannot be used in the evaluation of treated waters.