title: A new generic real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for vesiviruses; vesiviruses were not detected in human samples.
abstract: Different viruses belonging to the genus Vesivirus infect a broad range of animals, and cause gastroenteritis, vesicular skin lesions, hemorrhagic disease, respiratory diseases and other conditions. A recent report on Vesivirus viremia, as detected by PCR, in samples from patients with hepatitis of unknown etiology in the USA suggested a zoonotic potential for vesiviruses. These results have not been confirmed by another laboratory. In order to do so, a generic PCR assay on the RNA polymerase region was developed, and validated with RNA from 69 different Vesivirus species. Except SMSV serotype-8, all species tested were detected, including the ones that were suggested to be involved in zoonotic transmission in the USA (SMSV serotype-5). The generic Vesivirus assay was used on RNA extracted from serum samples from patients with hepatitis, stool samples from patients with gastroenteritis, throat-swab specimens of patients with rash illnesses, throat-swab and nose-swabs of patients with acute respiratory diseases, and cell cultures with cytopathologic effect from enterovirus surveillance in which no pathogen was found. None were found positive. In this study a generic Vesivirus assay was developed and it was concluded that vesiviruses are an unlikely cause of common illnesses in humans in the Netherlands.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Sanela.Svraka@RIVM.NL
authors.forename: Sanela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Svraka
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Duizer
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Egberink
authors.forename: Jojanneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dekkers
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vennema
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koopmans
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009426:Netherlands; D009666:Nose / Q000821:virology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D029342:Vesivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases