Molecular epidemiology of norovirus infections in sporadic cases of viral gastroenteritis among children in Northern Italy

Surveillance of norovirus infections in sporadic cases of pediatric gastroenteritis admitted to a main hospital in Northern Italy during a full‐year period (2002) showed that noroviruses (10.4%) were the second most common causative viral agent, following rotaviruses (21.1%), and noroviruses (81%) w...

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Published in:Journal of medical virology 2006-11, Vol.78 (11), p.1486-1492
Main Authors: Medici, Maria Cristina, Martinelli, Monica, Abelli, Laura Anna, Ruggeri, Franco Maria, Bartolo, Ilaria Di, Arcangeletti, Maria Cristina, Pinardi, Federica, De Conto, Flora, Izzi, Giancarlo, Bernasconi, Sergio, Chezzi, Carlo, Dettori, Giuseppe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Biological and medical sciences
Caliciviridae Infections - epidemiology
Caliciviridae Infections - virology
Child
Child, Preschool
Epidemiology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gastroenteritis - epidemiology
Gastroenteritis - virology
Genotype
GII.4 2002 variant
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infectious diseases
Italy - epidemiology
Male
Medical sciences
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
mixed infections
Molecular Epidemiology
Norovirus
Norovirus - genetics
Norovirus - isolation & purification
norovirus genotypes
phylogenetic analysis
Phylogeny
Time Factors
Viral diseases
Virology
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Summary:Surveillance of norovirus infections in sporadic cases of pediatric gastroenteritis admitted to a main hospital in Northern Italy during a full‐year period (2002) showed that noroviruses (10.4%) were the second most common causative viral agent, following rotaviruses (21.1%), and noroviruses (81%) were mostly implicated in mixed infections. The epidemic period of norovirus was September–December, with September and November as months of major prevalence (33.3 and 38.5%, respectively). Six distinct norovirus genotypes were detected (GI.7, GII.1, GII.2, GII.4, GII.7, GII, not assigned named GIIb), and the predominant genotype was GII.4. A “new GII.4 2002 variant” accounted for 82.9% of total strains. Since the severity of norovirus symptoms does not usually require admission to hospital, the burden of norovirus disease in the general children population may be much higher than that suggested by the present hospital‐based investigation. J. Med. Virol. 78:1486–1492, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0146-6615
1096-9071
DOI:10.1002/jmv.20723