Molecular and epidemiological trend of norovirus associated gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.
BACKGROUND
Diarrhea, over the years, has killed millions of people and continues to be a major threat in Bangladesh.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of norovirus infection in infants and young children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh and to determine the genogroup and genotype in norovirus-positive stool specimens.


METHODS
Fecal specimens were collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh from October 2004 to September 2005, and examined for norovirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Noroviruses were detected in 41 of 917 fecal specimens. Molecular analysis of norovirus was carried out by sequencing methods. Only norovirus GII/4 strains were detected during this study. The dominant genotype throughout the study period was GII/4. Norovirus infections were most commonly observed in winter and rainy seasons in Dhaka City. The common clinical symptoms in norovirus-infected patients were diarrhea (90%), vomiting (75%) and abdominal pain (46%).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first epidemiological research of norovirus in Bangladesh. Norovirus is an important enteropathogen responsible for viral gastroenteritis among infants and children in Bangladesh.
Dey
Shuvra Kanti
SK
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.
Nguyen
Tuan Anh
TA
Phan
Tung Gia
TG
Nishio
Osamu
O
Salim
Abul Faiz Mohammad
AF
Rahman
Majibur
M
Yagyu
Fumihiro
F
Okitsu
Shoko
S
Ushijima
Hiroshi
H
D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D012367:RNA, Viral