title: Aichi virus IgG seroprevalence in Tunisia parallels genomic detection and clinical presentation in children with gastroenteritis.
abstract: Aichi virus has been described as a novel causative agent of gastroenteritis in humans. In this study, we report the seroprevalence distribution of Aichi virus in Tunisia. A panel of 1,000 sera was screened by applying an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin G specific for Aichi virus. A considerable prevalence (92%) of antibody to Aichi virus was found across all age groups. The specific anti-Aichi virus antibodies increased with age, from a high rate (68.8%) in children under 10 years old to about 100% in persons more than 60 years old. We found a statistically significant increase in levels of antibody to Aichi virus according to the age of patients. Immunoglobulin M antibodies were detected among five children. A high frequency of Aichi virus monoinfections in hospitalized children with severe gastroenteritis was previously observed in Tunisia. Aichi virus causes diarrhea with dehydration, fever, and vomiting. This work is the first to establish a correlation between the high seroprevalence of specific Aichi virus antibodies, clinical presentation, and a high frequency of isolation of Aichi virus by genomic characterization in stools of children suffering from gastroenteritis. Our data show the importance and emerging character of Aichi virus in the viral etiology of pediatric gastroenteritis.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center for Enteric Viruses, Laboratory of Virology, CHU of Dijon, 2 Rue Angélique Ducoudray, 21070 Dijon, France. khiraso@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Khira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sdiri-Loulizi
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassine
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bour
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ambert-Balay
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastouri
authors.forename: Ludwig-Serge
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Aho
authors.forename: Hakima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gharbi-Khelifi
authors.forename: Zaidoun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aouni
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.forename: Slaheddine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chouchane
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neji-Guédiche
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pothier
authors.forename: Mahjoub
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aouni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003967:Diarrhea; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005334:Fever; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D052699:Kobuvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G