Group A rotaviruses are the main cause of acute dehydrating diarrhea in children, responsible for high mortality in developing countries and a significant socio-economic burden associated with treating the disease in developed countries. Two rotavirus vaccine candidates predicated on either homotypic or heterotypic protection have undergone clinical trials recently and await licensure for routine use. In anticipation of a future vaccination campaign in Hungary, the diversity of rotaviruses collected from Budapest between 2000 and 2003 were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of the viral genome and by serotyping and genotyping of the outer capsid genes, VP7 and VP4. Among 2,763 rotavirus positive specimens available for analysis, we were able to determine the electropherotype of 2,227, and, of these, 1,517 (68.1%) were subjected to G typing and 1,173 (52.7%) were subjected to P typing. We successfully G typed 1,481 (97.6%) and P typed 1,130 (96.3%) strains, respectively. A total of six G types (G1, 50.2%; G2, 2.2%; G3, 1.7%; G4, 5.8%; G6, 0.6%; and G9, 34.4%) and four P types (P[4], 3.0%; P[6], 0.7%; P[8], 89.9%; and P[9], 1.7%) were identified in nine individual combinations (P[8],G1; P[4],G2; P[8],G3; P[8],G4; P[8],G9; P[6],G4; P[4],G1; P[9],G3; and P[9],G6). The prevalence of VP7 and VP4 specificities varied from year to year. In this regard, a shift in serotype predominance from G1 in 2000-2001 (61.8%) and 2001-2002 (69.7%) to G9 in 2002-2003 (51.3%) was an intriguing observation that has been reported recently in some other countries, as well. The emergence of serotype G9 rotaviruses in Hungary and other parts of the world may have implications for future vaccine development and use, particularly, if current vaccine candidates cannot confer adequate homotypic or heterotypic protection against these strains.

Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) are small, non-enveloped viruses with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome. Their pathogenic potential, ecology, and evolutionary features are largely unexplored. Here, we describe the molecular analysis of porcine PBVs identified in the intestinal content of dead pigs. Six of 13 positive samples were cloned and then subjected to single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and nucleotide sequencing. All clones belonged to genogroup I PBVs and almost all clones clustered on separate branches from human strains. A single strain shared a notably close genetic relationship with a Hungarian human PBV strain (89.9 nt and 96.4 % aa identity). Genetic diversity was also observed among strains identified in mixed infections. Single point mutations and deleterious mutations within highly related strains suggested that PBVs exist as quasispecies in the swine alimentary tract. Clones with complete sequence identities originating from different animals suggested effective animal-to-animal transmission of the virus. Our findings indicate that infection with genogroup I PBVs is common in pigs.

Aims:  Routine procedures for monitoring viruses in water samples have not been drawn up for the water‐microbiology screening panel. Enteric viruses, including astroviruses, are able to persist under environmental conditions and may cause public health problems by contaminating natural and drinking water resources. The aim of this study was to detect human astroviruses (HAstVs) from raw wastewater samples. Methods and Results:  To obtain data on whether human astroviruses are shed in the environment, 35 raw sewage samples from 22 sewage plants in different regions of Baranya County, Hungary were tested for astrovirus using a polyethylene glycol method for concentration and a guanidinium thiocyanate–silica procedure for extraction of viral RNA. Reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) with HAstV‐specific primer pairs was used for amplification and the specificity of amplicons was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Among the 35 raw sewage samples, 15 (43%) contained HAstV and by sequence analysis, 10 genotype HAstV‐1 and one genotype HAstV‐2 were identified. Conclusions:  The high detection rate of astroviruses we encountered in this study provide convincing evidence that HAstVs circulate at a relatively high frequency in the Hungarian population. No correlation between the standard indicators of faecal pollution and the presence of HAstVs was found. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Our study is the first report on detection of HAstV in sewage in Hungary and suggests that HAstV might be potent indicators of viral pollution in environmental specimens.