title: Molecular prevalence of bovine noroviruses and neboviruses detected in central-eastern Tunisia.
abstract: Two genetically distinct bovine enteric caliciviruses are known: noroviruses of genogroup III (NoVsGIII), which are genetically related to human noroviruses, and neboviruses, which represent a new calicivirus genus. To investigate the presence of NoVsGIII and nebovirus strains in diarrheic calves in Tunisia, a total of 169 faecal specimens were collected from January 2006 to October 2010 from different cattle herds located in the central-east regions. RT-PCRs and sequencing were carried out using primers targeting the 3' end of the polymerase gene of NoVsGIII and neboviruses. This study revealed that NoVsGIII and nebovirus are endemic in diarrheic calves in Tunisia. NoVsGIII infections, all with genotype 2, had an apparent molecular prevalence of 16.6 % and were more frequent than nebovirus infections. NoVsGIII infections showed clear seasonality, with a peak in winter. Nebovirus infections, with a prevalence of 3.0 %, were all related to the reference strain Bo/Nebraska/80/US.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biological Agents, University of Monastir, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia. mouna20781@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassine-Zaafrane
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaplon
authors.forename: Khira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sdiri-Loulizi
authors.forename: Zaydoun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aouni
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pothier
authors.forename: Mahjoub
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aouni
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ambert-Balay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002139:Caliciviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle / Q000821:virology; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase