Epidemiology and Genetic Characterization of Classical Human Astrovirus Infection in Shanghai, 2015–2016

Abstract

Objective: Human astroviruses (HAstVs) are single-stranded RNA viruses of the Astroviridae family. Infection of classic HAstVs is one of the most common causes of acute viral gastroenteritis (infectious viral diarrhea). There is a lack of data on the prevalence and genetic characterization of classic HAstVs in acute viral gastroenteritis in the whole population. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological trend, genotypes, viral co-infections, and viral loads of classic HAstVs in Shanghai, China, from January 2015 to December 2016. Methods: A total of 6,051 non-redundant stool samples were collected in outpatients with acute diarrhea in Shanghai from January 2015 to December 2016. One-step real-time RT-PCR was used for screening viral diarrhea, including rotavirus A, rotavirus B, rotavirus C, norovirus genotype I and II, classic human astroviruses, and sapovirus. Real-time PCR was used for screening human enteric adenoviruses. Conventional RT-PCR was used for the amplification of viral fragments for genotyping. PCR products were sequenced and used for the construction of phylogenetic trees. Results: The detection rate of classic HAstVs was 1.55% (94/6,051). The prevalence of HAstV infection displayed a typical winter/spring (December to March) seasonality and was highest in the 5-14 age group. Eighty-six samples were genotyped, which revealed HAstV-1 as the most prevalent genotype, followed by HAstV-5, HAstV-4, HAstV-2, HAstV-8, and HAstV-3. There was a dramatic rise in the prevalence of HAstV-4 from December 2015 to March 2016, and the viral loads of HAstV-4 were significantly higher than those of other genotypes. Among the mixed infection

Molecular Epidemiology of Human Adenovirus, Astrovirus, and Sapovirus Among Outpatient Children With Acute Diarrhea in Chongqing, China, 2017–2019

“…Therefore, the infection of HAstV might be associated with the low environmental temperature, thus displayed a typical winter/spring seasonality. In addition, our results were also consistent with the results observed in Shanghai in 2015-2016, which also displayed a typical winter/spring seasonality ( 28 ). However, the infection peaks of HAstV varied in different years in this study, and the seasonality of HAstV infections in Chongqing needs to be further monitored.…”

Epidemiology of major entero-pathogenic viruses and genetic characterization of Group A rotaviruses among children (≤5 years) with acute gastroenteritis in eastern India, 2018–2020

“…An increase in HAdV-F infections was observed during premonsoon and summer monsoon seasons between March to September in our study which concurs with reports from Thailand (Kumthip et al, 2019;Sugeçti et al, 2015). The dry, winter months during 2018-2020 in Kolkata also saw a peak in AstV infections similar to that observed in other countries like Shanghai, Nepal, Gabon (Lekana-Douki et al, 2015;Shrestha et al, 2021;Wu et al, 2020). NoV, otherwise known as 'winter vomiting bug' in most temperate countries such as Europe and North America (Ahmed et al, 2013), showed no definite seasonal pattern of infection in our study.…”

Genetic characteristics of classical astroviruses in Shenzhen, China, 2016–2019

“…As no other genotypes have been reported in Shenzhen, it can be concluded that HAstV‐1 is the predominant astrovirus in the area. However, other genotypes such as HAstV‐2 and HAstV‐8 have been detected in other cities in China, 5 demonstrating the co‐circulation of multiple HAstVs. Therefore, it is crucial to enhance the surveillance of new strains and the frequency of various genotypes in Shenzhen.…”