Which two viruses can be found in shellfish?

Prepare for the ACVPM Food Protection Exam. Engage with an array of multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Equip yourself with the necessary knowledge to ensure a successful exam experience!

Shellfish can act as filters that concentrate viruses from polluted water, so some viruses become well-known culprits in shellfish-related illness. The two viruses most commonly linked to shellfish are human norovirus and hepatitis A virus. Norovirus is very contagious and has a low infectious dose, so eating raw or undercooked shellfish like oysters can readily trigger outbreaks. Hepatitis A virus also enters shellfish when sewage-contaminated water reaches harvest areas, and ingestion of contaminated shellfish can lead to hepatitis A.

The other virus pairs aren’t as strongly associated with shellfish outbreaks: rotavirus is mainly a cause of pediatric diarrhea and isn’t typically linked to shellfish contamination; astrovirus and hepatitis E are less commonly implicated in shellfish-related illness; adenovirus and poliovirus are not the classic culprits in shellfish-transmitted outbreaks.