Detection and genotyping of enteric viruses in hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis in Belém, Brazil: Occurrence of adenovirus viremia by species F, types 40/41

Abstract

Enteric adenovirus (AdV), sapovirus (SaV), and human astrovirus (HAstV) are important pathogens involved in the gastroenteritis etiology. In this study, a total of 219 fecal samples and sera were collected from children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in two large pediatric hospitals in Belém, from March 2012 to April 2015. The samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for AdV and HAstV (astrovirus) detection, and Nested-PCR and qPCR for SaV detection. AdV was detected in 50.2% (110/219) of the cases, with 42.7% (47/110) being sequenced and classified as: species F (63.9% - 30/47), A (4.2% - 2/47), B (6.4% - 3/47), C (17.1% - 8/47), D (4.2% - 2/47), and E (4.2% - 2/47). Of the 110 AdV-positive feces samples, 80 paired sera presented sufficient amounts and were also tested for this virus, of which 51 (63.7%) showed positive results and 26 (70.3%) pairs (feces plus sera) presented concordant results after sequencing being classified as: species F (21/26; 80.8%), A (1/26; 3.8%), B (1/26; 3.8%), and C (3/26; 11.5%). Overall, HAstV rate in the feces samples was 1.8% (4/219), including both HAstV-1a (2/4; 50%) and HAstV-2c (2/4; 50%). SaV was detected in 4.6% (10/219) of the fecal samples, out of which 50% (5/10) of the positive samples were characterized into the genogroups GI.1 (1), GI.2 (2), and GII.4 (2). These findings highlighted the important contributions of AdV, HAstV, and SaV in the enteric virus spectrum in our region and showed the high genetic diversity of AdV. In addition, it demonstrated for the first time in Brazil, the circulation of AdV in the serum of hospitalized children with AGE.

Epidemiology of enteric virus infections in children living in the Amazon region

“…The available data regarding the incidence of HAdV in Brazil is limited, especially in diarrheic diseases in the post RVA vaccine era. Portal et al (2019) reported an HAdV positivity of 50.2% (110/219) in fecal samples collected from March 2012 to April 2015 from children hospitalized for AGE in two large pediatric hospitals in the Amazon region. HAdV was also detected in this study in high frequencies in both AGE and ARI groups.…”

Molecular Epidemiology of Sapovirus in Children Living in the Northwest Amazon Region

“…The genotype diversity detected in low-income communities may play a significant role in the burden of AGE [ 15 , 16 ], and subclinical infections and diarrhea in children seem to give a minimal degree of protection to sapovirus [ 17 ]. Children less than 5 years old living in the low-income communities of the Amazon region are highly affected by AGE, and human sapoviruses have been observed with considerable diversity [ 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”

Human adenovirus species C recombinant virus continuously circulated in China

“…HAdVs are highly contagious pathogens that are known to be involved in a broad spectrum of human diseases, including respiratory diseases 5 , conjunctivitis, cystitis 6 , encephalitis 7 , and gastroenteritis 8 . Species C members are recognized as the primary pathogens responsible for respiratory tract infections among pediatric patients 9–11 , especially infants who are less than two years old 12 .…”