Detection and characterization of sapoviruses in outbreaks of gastroenteritis in southwest Germany.
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.
Ike
Anthony C
AC
Baden-Württemberg State Health Office, District Government Stuttgart, Nordbahnhofstrasse 135, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany. anthonyike@googlemail.com
Hartelt
Kathrin
K
Oehme
Rainer M
RM
Brockmann
Stefan O
SO
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