Characterization of rotaviruses and subgroup F adenoviruses from acute summer gastroenteritis in South Africa

Abstract

Six hundred and sixteen specimens were collected from black children hospitalised with acute gastroenteritis during the summer and autumn of 1982-1983 (October to May). Eighty-five children (13.8%) shed rotavirus and at least 40 (6.5%) shed adenovirus (Ad) type 40 or 41 belonging to subgroup F. The highest monthly prevalence of shedding subgroup F adenoviruses (10.1%) coincided with a peak in admissions in midsummer, whereas the highest monthly prevalence of shedding rotaviruses (41.9%) coincided with a peak in admissions in autumn. There were at least five genome types of rotavirus, at least three genome types of Ad40, and at least five genome types of Ad41 circulating in the Johannesburg-Soweto area during the study period. The high rate of rotavirus shedding in autumn could not be attributed to an upsurge in infections by any particular rotavirus strain.

Seroepidemiological study of genogroup I and II calicivirus infections in South and Southern Africa

“…Several viral agents cause diarrhoeal illness in humans. In South Africa, rotaviruses and adenoviruses have been well documented to be associated with acute infantile gastroenteritis [Kidd et al, 1986;Steele et al, 1986Steele et al, , 1988. Human astrovirus has also been reported to be common in young children with diarrhoea [Steele et al, 1998] and to be associated with outbreaks in Day Care Centres [Marx et al, 1998].…”

Infection kinetics of human adenovirus serotype 41 in HEK 293 cells

“…First, they are important etiological agents of infantile gastroenteritis (de Jong et al 1983, Uhnoo et al 1984, Kidd et al 1986). Second, adenoviruses may take advantage of an impaired or destroyed immune system to set up persistent or generalised infections in an immune-compromised host (Hierholzer 1992).…”

Human viral gastroenteritis

“…They are probably the second most important cause of infantile gastroenteritis after rotavirus. Adenoviruses were found to be the second most common enteric virus detected by EM in a number of studies from the United States, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, and South Africa (30,32,33,110,185,198,324,367). It was the third most common virus in other studies from the United States (284,302), Canada (253), India (235), and South Africa (89) and the fourth most common virus in a Scottish study (232), although none were detected in one South African study (322).…”

“…In many instances, fastidious adenovirus infections may occur throughout the year with no seasonal variation, according to reports from the United States, Canada, and Scotland (30,31,195,253,302), although there is a tendency toward more cases in the warmer months in reports from the United States (33,185), United Kingdom (108), Scandinavia (381), Japan (51), and South Africa (89,198,324). Fastidious adenovirus infection tends to be endemic, rather than epidemic, although outbreaks in hospital nurseries have oc-VOL.…”