Control of Waterborne Human Viruses by Indigenous Bacteria and Protists Is Influenced by Temperature, Virus Type, and Microbial Species

Human viruses are ubiquitous contaminants in surface waters, where they can persist over extended periods of time. Among the factors governing their environmental persistence, the control (removal or inactivation) by microorganisms remains poorly understood. Here we determined the contribution of indigenous bacteria and protists to the decay of human viruses in surface waters. Incubation of echovirus 11 (E11) in freshwater from Lake Geneva and seawater from the Mediterranean Sea led to a 2.5-log10 reduction in the infectious virus concentration within 48 hours at 22°C, whereas E11 was stable in sterile controls. The observed virus reduction was attributed to the action of both bacteria and protists in the biologically active matrices. The effect of microorganisms on viruses was temperature-dependent, with a complete inhibition of microbial virus control in lake water at temperatures ≤ 16°C. Among three protist isolates tested (Paraphysomonas sp., Uronema marinum and Caecitellus paraparvulus), Caecitellus paraparvulus was particularly efficient at controlling E11 (2.1-log10 reduction over four days with an initial protists concentration of 103 cells × ml-1). In addition, other viruses (human adenovirus type 2 and bacteriophage H6) exhibited different grazing kinetics compared to E11, indicating that the efficacy of antiviral action also depended on the type of virus. In conclusion, indigenous bacteria and protists in lake water and seawater can modulate the persistence of E11. These results pave the way for further research to understand how microorganisms control human viral pathogens in aquatic ecosystems and to exploit this process as a treatment solution to enhance microbial water safety.