Study of Persistence of Enteric Viruses In Landfilled Disposable Diapers

Disposable diapers are one of many possible sources of infectious enteric viruses that are disposed of in landfills. A total of 218 disposable diapers were collected from 7 sites and 10 depths at three landfills. Of this total, 110 diapers were selected to be processed based on fecal content using a 1.5% beef extract elution, organic flocculationconcentration method to recover viruses. The concentrated samples were assayed on Buffalo Green Monkey (BGM) kidney cell cultures for the detection of enteroviruses and with cDNA probes specific for poliovirus, hepatitis A virus, and rotavirus. Enteroviruses were not detected in any sample assayed using cell culture techniques. Three samples were positive using nucleic acid probes for poliovirus while negative for rotavirus and hepatitis A. These results suggest that, although poliovirus RNA was present in some diapers, the viruses were not viable by cell culture assays after 2 years or longer in a landfill.