Sphingobacterium-mediated EPS shielding exacerbates norovirus environmental persistence and risk in swine farms.

Sphingobacterium co-occurs with norovirus in swine compost and is linked to higher viral loads and greater RNA retention under heat, ultraviolet, and chlorine stress.

• Why it matters: Norovirus persistence in farm waste systems is poorly understood, limiting risk management for contamination of food and water and downstream transmission.
• What they did: The study measured norovirus occurrence in small-scale swine compost and intensive swine wastewater treatment units, then tested stress survival and infectivity with Sphingobacterium-associated versus bacteria-free controls.
• The result: In the WWTS, norovirus persisted from 10 7.3 copies L -1 in influent to 10 2.4 copies L -1 in final effluent, and QMRA estimated a 2.5% annual potential infection risk.

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