title: Prevalence of antibody to human calicivirus in general population of northern Japan.
abstract: Serum specimens from children and adults living in Saporo, Japan, were tested for antibody against human calicivirus by immune electron microscopy (IEM), using virus-rich faecal extracts as the source of antigen. Of 83 serum specimens tested, 49 (59%) were positive for calicivirus antibody. Age-related prevalence of antibody to calicivirus was as follows: 23% (3/13) in the 0-5-month-old group, 30% (6/20) in the 6-23-month-old group, 65% (13/20) in the 2-5-year-old group, and 90% in school children (18/20) and adults (9/10). As for IEM antibody ratings scored from 0 to 4, almost all positive sera from older infants and preschool children scored 3 to 4. Antibody scores were rather more scattered in school children. The results indicated that caliciviral infection is prevalent in younger children in this part of Japan.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002139:Caliciviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral