Detection and characterization of Human caliciviruses associated with sporadic acute diarrhea in adults in Djibouti (horn of Africa).
Recent advances in molecular diagnostics have allowed us to recognize Human caliciviruses (HuCVs) as important agents of acute diarrhea in industrialized countries. Their prevalence and genetic diversity in developing countries remains unknown. We report on the characterization of HuCVs among adults presenting acute diarrheas in Djibouti; 108 stool samples collected were screened by EIA, RTPCR, or cell cultures for the group A Rotaviruses, Adenoviruses, Astroviruses, and HuCVs, which were further characterized by genotyping. Among stool samples screened for HuCVs, 25.3% were positive. The other enteric viruses were less prevalent. The 11 HuCV strains sequenced revealed a large diversity (3 sapoviruses and 8 noroviruses). GII strains noroviruses were predominant, five were newly described genotypes, and two were recombinant with a pol gene related to GGIIb strains with the particularity to associate a unique pol gene to different capsid genes. These results could help to the knowledge of HuCV infections in Tropical Africa.
Maslin
Jérôme
J
Laboratoire de Biologie Clinique, Groupement Médico Chirurgical Bouffard, République de Djibouti. maslin_j@yahoo.com
Nicand
Elisabeth
E
Ambert-Balay
Katia
K
Fouet
Christine
C
Kaplon
Jérôme
J
Haus
Rachel
R
Pothier
Pierre
P
Kohli
Evelyne
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002139:Caliciviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000821:virology*; D015730:Djibouti / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny