Genetic diversity of sapovirus in fecal specimens from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Pakistan.
A total of 517 fecal specimens collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Karachi city, Pakistan during 1990-1994 were examined for the presence of sapovirus by RT-PCR and sequence analysis methods. Sapovirus was identified in 17 of 517 (3.2%) specimens. Sapovirus was further clustered into three distinct genogroups (I, II and IV) and these presented 70.6%, 23.5% and 5.9%, respectively. Our results clearly indicated that sapovirus could be classified into 7 GI and 4 GII genotypes. It was noteworthy to point out that sapovirus detected among Pakistani infants and children with acute gastroenteritis demonstrated the great genetic diversity and presented novel sapovirus genotypes.
Phan
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TG
Department of Developmental Medical Sciences, Institute of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Okame
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Nguyen
T A
TA
Nishio
O
O
Okitsu
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Ushijima
H
H
D000208:Acute Disease; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000821:virology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D029341:Sapovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification