isolation of enteroviruses from different water sources in tehran

waterborne epidemics of viral diseases have occurred and been reported over the years, and isolation of viruses from water of different sources has been made possible by different methods of concentration. it is now believed that bacterial parameters of water purity may not provide an adequate index as to the safety from a virological point of view. in this study eight samples from four main tehran sewages 10 from rivers that supply tehran drinking water, and 22 samples from surface waters of different localities in tehran were tested directly and by phase separation (p.s.) concentration method for the detection of enteroviruses. result indicated that three sewages and one surface water were positive by direct method. one sample from sewage, three from surface waters and two from river samples were positive by p.s. concentration method. five of isolated viruses were polio type i, one was polio type ii and three were non-determined enteroviruses. based on rct40 test the isolated polioviruses were vaccine type. p.s. concentration revealed to be an effective method for the detection of viruses from river and surface water.