title: Nationwide surveillance study of human astrovirus infections in an Italian paediatric population.
abstract: The study investigated the genetic diversity of human astroviruses (HAstVs) detected in children hospitalized with gastroenteritis in Italy in 2008-2009. A total of 1321 faecal samples were collected in Parma (northern Italy), Bari (southern Italy), and Palermo (Sicily) and screened for the presence of HAstVs. RT-PCR amplification of a portion at the 5'-end of ORF2 allowed the detection of HAstVs in 3·95% of the patients. Four different genotypes (HAstV-1, HAstV-2, HAstV-4, HAstV-5) were found to be circulating during the study period, with HAstV-1 being the predominant type. Interestingly, a novel lineage, proposed as HAstV-2d, was found to have emerged in Parma in 2009. Investigating the genetic variability of HAstVs will be important for understanding the epidemiological trends and evolution of these viruses.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute 'G. D'Alessandro', Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DE Grazia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Zootecnia, Università Aldo Moro di Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martella
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Igiene, Università Aldo Moro di Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chironna
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute 'G. D'Alessandro', Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonura
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Microbiologia, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Università degli studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tummolo
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Microbiologia, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Università degli studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderaro
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Zootecnia, Università Aldo Moro di Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moschidou
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute 'G. D'Alessandro', Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Giammanco
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Microbiologia, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Università degli studi di Parma, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Medici
mesh_terms: D019350:Astroviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D001257:Mamastrovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence