Dr Kata Farkas
Research Fellow
Contact info
Environment Centre Wales
School of Natural Sciences
Bangor University
Bangor LL57 2UW, UK
Phone: +44 (0) 1248 382615
Email: k.farkas@bangor.ac.uk
I competed my PhD in microbiology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand in 2014. My research focused on the fate and behaviour of enteric viruses in groundwater. After finishing my studies, I was involved in various project that uses viral metagenomics approaches to identify viruses (both known and novel) in various ecosystems. Since 2015, I have been working at the Bangor University, on the Viraqua Project (www.viraqua.uk; 2015-2018) and at the Shellfish Centre (2019-onward).
My research focuses on the ecology and survival of viruses in the aquatic environment with a special interest in the fate of enteric viruses. Enteric viruses are responsible for the majority of gastroenteral illnesses globally putting an enormous burden on healthcare systems and the wider economy. These pathogens are often found in water reservoirs (recreational and drinking water sources, shellfish harvesting areas) and hence responsible for water- and foodborne outbreaks. I design and validate methods for the recovery of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment in order to quantify infectious viruses, understand viral ecology, describe novel and emerging strains and model viral transport in the environment.
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Tracing the fate of wastewater viruses reveals catchment-scale virome diversity and connectivity
Adriaenssens, E. M., Farkas, K., McDonald, J. E., Jones, D. L., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 15 Sept 2021, In: Water Research. 203Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Viromic Analysis of Wastewater Input to a River Catchment Reveals a Diverse Assemblage of RNA Viruses
Adriaenssens, E. M., Farkas, K., Harrison, C., Jones, D. L., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A., 22 May 2018, In: mSystems. 3, 3, e00025-18.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Comparison of virus concentration methods for the RT-qPCR-based recovery of murine hepatitis virus, a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 from untreated wastewater
Ahmed, W., Bertsch, P., Bivins, A., Bibby, K., Farkas, K., Gathercole, A., Haramoto, E., Gyawali, P., Korajkic, A., McMinn, B., Mueller, J., Simpson, S., Smith, W., Symonds, E., Thomas, K., Verhagen, R. & Kitajima, M., 15 Oct 2020, In: Science of the Total Environment. 739, 139960.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Development and validation of a duplex RT-qPCR assay for norovirus quantification in wastewater samples
Alex-Sanders, N., Woodhall, N., Farkas, K., Scott, G., Jones, D. L. & Walker, D. I., 1 Nov 2023, In: Journal of Virological Methods. 321, 114804.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Molecular characterization and prevalence of two capulaviruses: Alfalfa leaf curl virus from France and Euphorbia caput-medusae latent virus from South Africa
Bernardo, P., Muhire, B., Francois, S., Deshoux, M., Hartnady, P., Farkas, K., Kraberger, S., Filloux, D., Fernandez, E., Galzi, S., Ferdinand, R., Granier, M., Marais, A., Blasco, P. M., Candresse, T., Escriu, F., Varsani, A., Harkins, G. W., Martin, D. P. & Roumagnac, P., 1 Jun 2016, In: Virology. 493, p. 142-153Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Wastewater-Based Epidemiology: Global Collaborative to Maximize Contributions in the Fight Against COVID-19
Bivins, A., North, D., Ahmad, A., Ahmed, W., Alm, E., Been, F., Bhattacharya, P., Bijlsma, L., Boehm, A. B., Brown, J., Buttiglieri, G., Calabro, V., Carducci, A., Castiglioni, S., Gurol, Z. C., Chakraborty, S., Costa, F., Curcio, S., de los Reyes, F. L. . III., Vela, J. D., Farkas, K., Fernandez-Casi, X., Gerba, C., Gerrity, D., Girones, R., Gonzalez, R., Haramoto, E., Harris, A., Holden, P. A., Islam, M. T., Jones, D. L., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Kitajima, M., Kotlarz, N., Kumar, M., Kuroda, K., La Rosa, G., Malpei, F., Mautus, M., McLellan, S. L., Medema, G., Meschke, J. S., Mueller, J., Newton, R. J., Nilsson, D., Noble, R. T., van Nuijs, A., Peccia, J., Perkins, T. A., Pickering, A. J., Rose, J., Sanchez, G., Smith, A., Stadler, L., Stauber, C., Thomas, K., van der Voorn, T., Wigginton, K., Zhu, K. & Bibby, K., 7 Jul 2020, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 54, 13, p. 7754-7757Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
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City-wide wastewater genomic surveillance through the successive emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants
Brunner, F. S., Brown, M. R., Bassano, I., Denise, H., Khalifa, M. S., Wade, M. J., van Aerle, R., Kevill, J. L., Jones, D. L., Farkas, K., Jeffries, A. R., Cairns, E., Wierzbicki, C. & Paterson, S., 1 Nov 2022, In: Water research. 226, 119306.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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The ancient evolutionary history of polyomaviruses
Buck, C. B., Van Doorslaer, K., Peretti, A., Geoghegan, E. M., Tisza, M. J., An, P., Katz, J. P., Pipas, J. M., McBride, A. A., Camus, A. C., McDermott, A. J., Dill, J. A., Delwart, E., Ng, T. F. F., Farkas, K., Austin, C., Kraberger, S., Davison, W., Pastrana, F. V. & Varsani, A., 19 Apr 2016, In: PLoS Pathogens. 12, 4, e1005574.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Prevalence and relative risk of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children under five years in Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Digwo, D., Chidebelu, P., Ugwu, K., Adediji, A., Farkas, K. & Chigor, V., Feb 2023, In: Pathogens and Global Health. 117, 1, p. 24-35 12 p., 2043223.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Serological responses to Cryptosporidium antigens in inhabitants of Hungary using conventionally filtered surface water and riverbank filtered drinking water
Farkas, K., Plutzer, J., Moltchanova, E., Torokne, A., Varro, M. J., Domokos, K., Frost, F. & Hunter, P. R., Oct 2015, In: Epidemiology and Infection. 143, 13, p. 2743-2747Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Emerging technologies for the rapid detection of enteric viruses in the aquatic environment
Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Walker, D., Aug 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 16, p. 1-6Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Near-source passive sampling for monitoring viral outbreaks within a university residential setting
Farkas, K., Kevill, J. L., Adwan, L., Garcia-Delgado, A., Dzay, R., Grimsley, J. M. S., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Wade, M. J., Williams, R. C., Martin, J., Drakesmith, M., Song, J., McClure, V. & Jones, D. L., 8 Feb 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Epidemiology and Infection. 152, p. e31Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19
Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Malham, S., McDonald, J. & Jones, D. L., Oct 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 17, p. 14-20 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Evaluation of Two Triplex One-Step qRT-PCR Assays for the Quantification of Human Enteric Viruses in Environmental Samples
Farkas, K., Peters, D. E., McDonald, J., de Rougemont, A., Malham, S. & Jones, D., Sept 2017, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 9, 3, p. 342-349Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Assessment of wastewater derived pollution using viral monitoring in two estuaries
Farkas, K., Mannion, F., Sorby, R., Winterbourn, B., Allender, S., Gregory, C. G. M., Holding, P., Thorpe, J. M., Malham, S. K. & Le Vay, L., 1 Mar 2024, In: Marine pollution bulletin. 200, 116081.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Viral indicators for tracking domestic wastewater contamination in the aquatic environment
Farkas, K., Walker, D., Adriaenssens, E., McDonald, J., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 15 Aug 2020, In: Water Research. 181, 115926.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Adsorption of Rotavirus, MS2 Bacteriophage and Surface-Modified Silica Nanoparticles to Hydrophobic Matter
Farkas, K., Pang, L. & Varsani, A., 1 Sept 2015, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 7, 3, p. 261-268Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Diurnal changes in pathogenic and indicator virus concentrations in wastewater
Farkas, K., Pântea, I., Woodhall, N., Williams, D., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Williams, R. C., Grimsley, J. M. S., Singer, A. C. & Jones, D. L., Dec 2023, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 30, 59, p. 123785-123795 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Wastewater-based monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 at UK airports and its potential role in international public health surveillance
Farkas, K., Williams, R., Alex-Sanders, N., Grimsley, J. M. S., Pântea, I., Wade, M. J., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 19 Jan 2023, In: PLOS global public health. 3, 1, e0001346.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Seasonal and diurnal surveillance of treated and untreated wastewater for human enteric viruses
Farkas, K., Marshall, M., Cooper, D., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Peters, D. E., Maloney, J. D. & Jones, D. L., Nov 2018, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 25, 33, p. 33391-33401Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Investigating awareness, fear and control associated with norovirus and other pathogens and pollutants using best–worst scaling
Farkas, K., Green, E., Rigby, D., Cross, P., Tyrrel, S., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 27 May 2021, In: Scientific Reports. 11, 1, 11 p., 11194.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Concentration and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using polyethylene glycol-based concentration and qRT-PCR
Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Thorpe, J., Walker, D., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 23 Feb 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 1, 10 p., 17.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Comparative Assessment of Filtration- and Precipitation-Based Methods for the Concentration of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses from Wastewater
Farkas, K., Pellett, C., Alex-Sanders, N., Bridgman, M. T. P., Corbishley, A., Grimsley, J. M. S., Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Kevill, J. L., Pantea, I., Richardson-O'Neill, I. S., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 31 Aug 2022, In: Microbiology Spectrum. 10, 4, 16 p., spectrum.01102-22.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Two-Step Concentration of Complex Water Samples for the Detection of Viruses
Farkas, K., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 10 Sept 2018, In: Methods and Protocols. 1, 3, 35.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Critical Evaluation of CrAssphage as a Molecular Marker for Human-Derived Wastewater Contamination in the Aquatic Environment
Farkas, K., Adriaenssens, E. M., Walker, D. I., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 1 Jun 2019, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 11, 2, p. 113-119Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- E-pub ahead of print
Comparative assessment of Nanotrap and polyethylene glycol-based virus concentration in wastewater samples
Farkas, K., Kevill, J. L., Williams, R. C., Pântea, I., Ridding, N., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Woodhall, N., Grimsley, J. M. S., Wade, M. J., Singer, A. C., Weightman, A. J., Cross, G. & Jones, D. L., 5 Mar 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: FEMS microbes. 5, xtae007.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Concentration and Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater Using Polyethylene Glycol-Based Concentration and qRT-PCR.(vol 4, 17, 2021)
Farkas, K., Hillary, L. S., Thorpe, J., Walker, D. I., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 12 Nov 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 4Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Evaluation of Molecular Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Pathogen-Derived Nucleic Acids in Sediment
Farkas, K., Hassard, F., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D., 24 Jan 2017, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 6, p. 1-12 53.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Rapid Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Variant-Associated Mutations in Wastewater Using Real-Time RT-PCR
Farkas, K., Pellett, C., Williams, R., Alex-Sanders, N., Bassano, I., Brown, M. R., Denise, H., Grimsley, J. M. S., Kevill, J. L., Khalifa, M. S., Pântea, I., Story, R., Wade, M. J., Woodhall, N. & Jones, D. L., 14 Feb 2023, In: Microbiology Spectrum. 11, 1, e0317722.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Size exclusion-based purification and PCR-based quantitation of MS2 bacteriophage particles for environmental applications
Farkas, K., Varsani, A., Marjoshi, D., Easingwood, R., McGill, E. & Pang, L., 1 Mar 2015, In: Journal of Virological Methods. p. 135-138Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A Gel Filtration-Based Method for the Purification of Infectious Rotavirus Particles for Environmental Research Applications
Farkas, K., Pang, L., Lin, S., Williamson, W., Easingwood, R., Fredericks, R., Jaffer, M. A. & Varsani, A., 1 Dec 2013, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 5, 4, p. 231-235Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Site Specific Relationships between COVID-19 Cases and SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Wastewater Treatment Plant Influent
Fitzgerald, S. F., Rossi, G., Low, A. S., McAteer, S. P., O'Keefe, B., Findlay, D., Cameron, G. J., Pollard, P., Singleton, P. T. R., Ponton, G., Singer, A. C., Farkas, K., Jones, D. L., Graham, D. W., Quintela-Baluja, M., Tait-Burkard, C., Gally, D. L., Kao, R. & Corbishley, A., 16 Nov 2021, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 55, 22, p. 15276-15286 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments—a Review
Hassard, F., Gwyther, C. L., Farkas, K., Andrews, A., Jones, V., Cox, B., Brett, H., Jones, D., McDonald, J. & Malham, S., 1 Nov 2016, In: Frontiers in Microbiology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater to evaluate the success of lockdown measures for controlling COVID-19 in the UK
Hillary, L. S., Farkas, K., Maher, K. H., Lucaci, A., Thorpe, J., Distaso, M. A., Gaze, W. H., Paterson, S., Burke, T., Connor, T. R., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 15 Jul 2021, In: Water Research. 200, p. 117214 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Poor air passenger knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms and behaviour undermines strategies aimed at preventing the import of SARS-CoV-2 into the UK
Jones, D. L., Rhymes, J., Green, E., Rimmer, C., Kevill, J., Malham, S., Weightman, A. & Farkas, K., 1 Mar 2023, In: Scientific Reports. 13, 1, 3494.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Suitability of aircraft wastewater for pathogen detection and public health surveillance
Jones, D. L., Rhymes, J., Wade, M. J., Kevill, J., Malham, S., Grimsley, J. M. S., Rimmer, C., Weightman, A. & Farkas, K., 15 Jan 2023, In: Science of the Total Environment. 856, Pt 2, p. 159162 159162.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Critical Evaluation of Different Passive Sampler Materials and Approaches for the Recovery of SARS-CoV-2, Faecal-Indicator Viruses and Bacteria from Wastewater
Jones, D. L., Grimsley, J. M. S., Kevill, J. L., Williams, R., Pellett, C., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Singer, A. C., Williams, G. B., Bargiela, R., Brown, R. W., Agency, UK. & Farkas, K., 6 Nov 2022, In: Water. 14, 21, 3568.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in feces and urine and its potential role in person-to-person transmission and the environment-based spread of COVID-19
Jones, D. L., Baluja, M. Q., Graham, D. W., Corbishley, A., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Hillary, L. S., Connor, T. R., Gaze, W. H., Moura, I. B., Wilcox, M. H. & Farkas, K., 20 Dec 2020, In: Science of the Total Environment. 749, 141364.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Genome sequences of Beet curly top Iran virus, Oat dwarf virus, Turnip curly top virus, and wheat dwarf virus identified in leafhoppers
Kamali, M., Heydarnejad, J., Pouramini, N., Masumi, H., Farkas, K., Kraberger, S. & Varsani, A., 23 Feb 2017, In: Genome Announcements. 5, 8, e01674-16.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Wastewater-based epidemiology for comprehensive community health diagnostics in a national surveillance study: Mining biochemical markers in wastewater
Kasprzyk-Hordern, B., Sims, N., Farkas, K., Jagadeesan, K., Proctor, K., Wade, M. J. & Jones, D. L., 15 May 2023, In: Journal of Hazardous Materials. 450, 1 p., 130989.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Use of Capsid Integrity-qPCR for Detecting Viral Capsid Integrity in Wastewater
Kevill, J. L., Farkas, K., Ridding, N., Woodhall, N., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 26 Dec 2023, In: Viruses. 16, 1Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A comparison of precipitation and filtration-based SARS-CoV-2 recovery methods and the influence of temperature, turbidity, and surfactant load in urban wastewater
Kevill, J. L., Pellett, C., Farkas, K., Brown, M. R., Bassano, I., Denise, H., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Porter, J., Warren, J., Evens, N. P., Paterson, S., Singer, A. C. & Jones, D. L., 20 Feb 2022, In: Science of the Total Environment. 808, 151916.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Assessment of two types of passive sampler for the efficient recovery of SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses from wastewater
Kevill, J. L., Lambert-Slosarska, K., Pellett, C., Woodhall, N., Richardson-O'Neill, I., Pantea, I., Alex-Sanders, N., Farkas, K. & Jones, D. L., 10 Sept 2022, In: Science of the Total Environment. 838, 4, 156580.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Genomoviruses associated with mountain and western pine beetles
Kraberger, S., Hofstetter, R. W., Potter, K. A., Farkas, K. & Varsani, A., 2 Sept 2018, In: Virus Research. 256, p. 17-20Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Identification of novel Bromus- and Trifolium-associated circular DNA viruses
Kraberger, S., Farkas, K., Bernardo, P., Booke, C., Argüello-Astorga, G. R., Mesléard, F., Martin, D. P., Roumagnac, P. & Varsani, A., May 2015, In: Archives of Virology. 160, 5, p. 1303-1311Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Seasonal and spatial dynamics of enteric viruses in wastewater and in riverine and estuarine receiving waters
Malham, S., Farkas, K., McDonald, J., Jones, D. L., Cooper, D. & de Rougemont, A., 1 Sept 2018, In: Science of the Total Environment. 634, p. 1174 1183 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Attenuation and transport of human enteric viruses and bacteriophage MS2 in alluvial sand and gravel aquifer media-laboratory studies
Pang, L., Farkas, K., Lin, S., Hewitt, J., Premaratne, A. & Close, M., 15 May 2021, In: Water research. 196, 117051.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Tracking effluent discharges in undisturbed stony soil and alluvial gravel aquifer using synthetic DNA tracers
Pang, L., Robson, B., Farkas, K., McGill, E., Varsani, A., Gillot, L., Li, J. & Abraham, P., 15 Aug 2017, In: Science of the Total Environment. 592, p. 144-152Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Mimicking filtration and transport of rotavirus and adenovirus in sand media using DNA-labeled, protein-coated silica nanoparticles
Pang, L., Farkas, K., Bennett, G., Varsani, A., Easingwood, R., Tilley, R., Nowostawska, U. & Lin, S., 1 Oct 2014, In: Water Research. 62, p. 167-179Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Detection and genotype analysis of Giardia duodenalis from asymptomatic Hungarian inhabitants and comparative findings in three distinct locations
Plutzer, J., Torokne, A., Szenasi, Z., Kucsera, I., Farkas, K. & Karanis, P., Mar 2014, In: Acta Microbiologica et Immunologica Hungarica. 61, 1, p. 19-26Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review