Molecular detection and prevalence assessment of human norovirus: NoV (GI and GII) in Mugil cephalus (fish, teleost, Mugilidae) in Dakar, Senegal
Paper Details
Molecular detection and prevalence assessment of human norovirus: NoV (GI and GII) in Mugil cephalus (fish, teleost, Mugilidae) in Dakar, Senegal
Abstract
Noroviruses (NoV) cause the majority of foodborne gastroenteritis. Consumption of raw or undercooked fish exposes you to this risk. This study evaluates the prevalence of NoV (GI and GII) in Mugil cephalus fish in Dakar. Thirty-nine specimens were collected in 2025 in Soumbedioume and Hann Bel-Air. Viral RNA was extracted from organ pools and then analyzed by RT-qPCR in real time. Organs from positive fish were tested individually to study tropism.: The overall prevalence was 7.69% (3/39), exclusively in Soumbedioume. The GI genogroup affected two fish (5.13%) and the GII only one (2.56%). The genome of NoV GII was detected only in the gills, with a low viral load (Cq = 37.43). Sex, site, height or weight did not significantly influence the prevalence (p > 0.05). This study shows for the first time the presence of human norovirus in the gills of Mugil cephalus. It confirms the contamination of the marine environment of human origin in Dakar and calls for strengthening virological surveillance.
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Malick Ndiaye*, Malick Fall, Moussa Camara, Mamadou Malado Jallow, Ndongo Dia, 2026. Molecular detection and prevalence assessment of human norovirus: NoV (GI and GII) in Mugil cephalus (fish, teleost, Mugilidae) in Dakar, Senegal. Int. J. Biosci., 29(4), 144-152.
Copyright © 2026 by the Authors. This article is an open access article and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.