Viral and bacterial contamination of mussels (Mytilus edulis) exposed in an unpolluted marine environment

Bacteria indicating faecal contamination, cell-culturable enteroviruses and hepatitis A virus (HAV) were investigated in sea-water and in mussels exposed in an unpolluted marine environment, over a 7-month period with two samplings per month. Of the 16 mussel samples examined, none contained cell-culturable enteroviruses, four showed a low-level contamination by HAV and two did not conform to the current bacteriological norms. No connection was observed between the viral and bacterial contamination. No viral contamination was detected in the sea-water samples, but two gave bacterial counts above current norms.