title: Norwalk-like virus 95/96-US strain is a major cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in Australia.
abstract: Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs) were detected using a nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with primers directed to the RNA polymerase region. Samples were examined from 11 separate outbreaks of gastroenteritis and five sporadic cases of childhood gastroenteritis between 1997 and 2000. Phylogenetic analysis of the 298 bp sequences showed that all strains belong to NLV genogroup II and the majority of the sequenced isolates (30/36) were members of the 95/96-US subset of strains associated with outbreaks recorded worldwide between 1995 and 1996. This was confirmed by analysis of the full length capsid region of a representative Australian isolate. This study demonstrates the usefulness of targeting primers for NLVs to the predominant circulating genotype(s) and confirms the spread of this subtype globally, including the Southern Hemisphere.
authors.affiliation: Virology Division, Department of Microbiology, SEALS, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Grant S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Hansman
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dable
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isaacs
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferson
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McIver
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014943:Global Health; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases