title: Detection and characterization of sapoviruses in outbreaks of gastroenteritis in southwest Germany.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sapovirus (SV) has been reported from many countries as one of the major causes of gastroenteritis in infants, but its importance for a broader age range is not well appreciated. While previous studies in our regional laboratory and other parts of Germany have identified Norovirus (NV) as a major cause of gastroenteritis in Germany, the prevalence of SV has not been recorded.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of SV in outbreaks of gastroenteritis in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stool specimens from 34 outbreaks of gastroenteritis collected in Baden-Württemberg, Germany in 2002 and 2003, which tested negative for other enteric pathogens were tested for SV by RT-PCR. Positive samples were sequenced and typed using phylogenetic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SV was identified in two of 157 (1.3%) specimens. These two viruses belonged to different genotypes of SV and had a nucleotide similarity of only 57%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SV circulates within the study area, but is not an important cause of gastroenteritis in the area.
authors.affiliation: Baden-Württemberg State Health Office, District Government Stuttgart, Nordbahnhofstrasse 135, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany. anthonyike@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ike
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hartelt
authors.forename: Rainer M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Oehme
authors.forename: Stefan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Brockmann
mesh_terms: D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D029341:Sapovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification