title: Norovirus GII-4 causes a more severe gastroenteritis than other noroviruses in young children.
abstract: Norovirus (NoV) GII-4 has emerged as the predominant NoV genotype in outbreaks of gastroenteritis worldwide. We determined clinical features of NoV GII-4 associated acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in comparison with AGE associated with other NoV types in infants during seasons 2001 and 2002. During the prospective follow-up period, 128 primary infections of AGE due to NoV were identified in 405 infants; of these, GII-4 was found in 40 cases (31%). NoV GII-4 was associated with longer duration of diarrhea and vomiting than other NoV genotypes, suggesting greater virulence of NoV GII-4.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Research Center, University of Tampere Medical School, Tampere, Finland. leena.huhti@uta.fi
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huhti
authors.forename: Evelin D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Szakal
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Puustinen
authors.forename: Marjo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: Heini
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huhtala
authors.forename: Oona
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Valve
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blazevic
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vesikari
mesh_terms: D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012621:Seasons; D014774:Virulence