Detection of human polyomavirus 2 (HPyV2) in oyster samples in northern Brazil

National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico and Tecnol?gico - CNPQ) and the Institutional Support Program for Qualified Production (Programa de Apoio a Produ??o Qualificada - PAPQ/2019) of the Universidade Federal do Par?. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil / Minist?rio da Sa?de. Secretaria de Vigil?ncia em Sa?de. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Par?. Instituto de Ci?ncias Biol?gicas. Laborat?rio de Virologia. Bel?m, PA, Brazil. 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