The study investigated the genetic diversity of human astroviruses (HAstVs) detected in children hospitalized with gastroenteritis in Italy in 2008–2009. A total of 1321 faecal samples were collected in Parma (northern Italy), Bari (southern Italy), and Palermo (Sicily) and screened for the presence of HAstVs. RT–PCR amplification of a portion at the 5k-end of ORF2 allowed the detection of HAstVs in 3.95% of the patients. Four different genotypes (HAstV-1, HAstV-2, HAstV-4, HAstV-5) were found to be circulating during the study period, with HAstV-1 being the predominant type. Interestingly, a novel lineage, proposed as HAstV-2d, was found to have emerged in Parma in 2009. Investigating the genetic variability of HAstVs will be important for understanding the epidemiological trends and evolution of these viruses.
Nationwide surveillance study of human astrovirus infectionsin an Italian paediatric population / S., DE GRAZIA; V., Martella; M., Chironna; F., Bonura; Tummolo, Fabio; Calderaro, Adriana; P., Moschidou; G. M., Giammanco; Medici, Maria Cristina. - In: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION. - ISSN 0950-2688. - 141:(2013), pp. 524-528. [10.1017/S0950268812000945]
Nationwide surveillance study of human astrovirus infectionsin an Italian paediatric population
TUMMOLO, FABIO;CALDERARO, Adriana;MEDICI, Maria Cristina
2013-01-01
Abstract
The study investigated the genetic diversity of human astroviruses (HAstVs) detected in children hospitalized with gastroenteritis in Italy in 2008–2009. A total of 1321 faecal samples were collected in Parma (northern Italy), Bari (southern Italy), and Palermo (Sicily) and screened for the presence of HAstVs. RT–PCR amplification of a portion at the 5k-end of ORF2 allowed the detection of HAstVs in 3.95% of the patients. Four different genotypes (HAstV-1, HAstV-2, HAstV-4, HAstV-5) were found to be circulating during the study period, with HAstV-1 being the predominant type. Interestingly, a novel lineage, proposed as HAstV-2d, was found to have emerged in Parma in 2009. Investigating the genetic variability of HAstVs will be important for understanding the epidemiological trends and evolution of these viruses.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
