Persistence of inoculated hepatitis A virus in mixed human and animal wastes.

The persistence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) was determined both in mixtures of septic tank effluent (STE) with dairy cattle manure slurry (DCMS) and in mixtures of STE with swine manure slurry (SMS). HAV was consistently inactivated more rapidly in the two types of mixed wastes than in STE alone or in the control Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). At 5 degrees C, the D values (time, in days, for a 90% reduction of virus titer) were 34.6 for the mixed STE and DCMS, 48.5 for the mixed STE and SMS, 58.5 for STE, and 217.4 for the Dulbecco's PBS control. At 22 degrees C, the D values were 23.0, 17.1, 35.1, and 90.1 for the four suspension media, respectively. A comparison of HAV inactivation in mixed wastes subjected to different treatments at the same pH and temperatures showed that the virus inactivation in the mixed wastes was related, at least in part, to microbial activity. In mixed STE and DCMS, the D values at 25 degrees C were 8.3 for raw mixed wastes, 15.1 for autoclaved mixed wastes, and 9.6 for bacterium-free filtrate of raw mixed wastes; D values at 37 degrees C were 6.8, 10.1, and 7.0 for these three suspension media, respectively. In mixed STE and SMS, the D values at 25 degrees C were 8.1 for raw mixed wastes, 14.3 for autoclaved mixed wastes, and 9.1 for bacterium-free filtrate of raw mixed wastes; the D values at 37 degrees C were 6.8, 9.4, and 6.9 for the three suspensions, respectively.