Prevalence and characterization of astroviruses in Argentinean children with acute gastroenteritis.

Among viral agents causing gastroenteritis, human astroviruses (HAstVs) take second or third place, after rotaviruses and caliciviruses, as the most frequent cause of illness. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of HAstV infection and to characterize the circulating HAstV strains in children with diarrhea under 3 years of age treated between 1995 and 1998 at out- or in-patient facilities of the children's hospital in Mendoza, Argentina. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were used to detect HAstVs in stool specimens. Positive specimens were tested further by EIA and/or sequenced to type detected HAstV strains. HAstVs were detected in 40 (3.7%) of 1,070 samples that were rotavirus and calicivirus-negative: 14 (3.5%) of 402 from outpatients and 26 (3.9%) of 668 from inpatients. HAstV infection tended to be more severe in children during their first year of life: 18 (4.7%) of 383 HAstV-positive children 0-11 months old were hospitalized versus 8 (2.8%) of 285 children 1 year of age or older (P = 0.29). Type 1 (HAstV-1) was the most common type (41%), followed by HAstV-4 (25%), HAstV-2 (13%), HAstV-3 (13%), and HAstV-5 (8%). In this first epidemiological study of HAstV infection in this region, we confirmed HAstV to be a cause of severe gastroenteritis in children, more often among children younger than 12 months of age. HastV-4 caused 25% of HastV infections in Mendoza, although it has been detected commonly elsewhere. Distinct genetic lineages were apparent but their epidemiological significance remains to be demonstrated.

Espul C ，Martínez N ，Noel JS ，Cuello H ，Abrile C ，Grucci S ，Glass R ，Berke T ，Matson DO ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》

Genotypes and molecular epidemiology of human astroviruses in hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Victoria M ，Carvalho-Costa FA ，Heinemann MB ，Leite JP ，Miagostovich MP ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》

One-year survey of astrovirus infection in children with gastroenteritis in a large hospital in Hungary: occurrence and genetic analysis of astroviruses.

Jakab F ，Meleg E ，Bányai K ，Melegh B ，Tímár L ，Péterfai J ，Szucs G ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》

Prevalence of human astrovirus genotypes associated with acute gastroenteritis among children in Belém, Brazil.

Gabbay YB ，Linhares AC ，Cavalcante-Pepino EL ，Nakamura LS ，Oliveira DS ，da Silva LD ，Mascarenhas JD ，Oliveira CS ，Monteiro TA ，Leite JP ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》

Detection and characterisation of human astroviruses in children with acute gastroenteritis in Blantyre, Malawi.

In a 2-year hospital-based study of paediatric gastroenteritis in Blantyre, Malawi, astroviruses were detected by enzyme immunoassay in 15 (1.9%) of 786 inpatients and in 9 (2.3%) of 400 outpatients. Greater disease severity was noted in children coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Six human astrovirus (HAstV) genotypes were identified, including HAstV-1 (25%), HAstV-2 (21%), HAstV-3 (25%), HAstV-4 (13%), HAstV-5 (4%), and HAstV-8 (13%). Although astroviruses are not major causes of gastroenteritis among children admitted to hospital in Blantyre, concomitant HIV infection appears to be a risk factor for increased severity of disease.

Cunliffe NA ，Dove W ，Gondwe JS ，Thindwa BD ，Greensill J ，Holmes JL ，Bresee JS ，Monroe SS ，Glass RI ，Broadhead RL ，Molyneux ME ，Hart CA ... -  《JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY》