title: Identification of a novel human polyomavirus in organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
abstract: Polyomaviruses are small, non-enveloped viruses with a circular double-stranded DNA genome. Using a generic polyomavirus PCR targeting the VP1 major structural protein gene, a novel polyomavirus was initially identified in resected human liver tissue and provisionally named Human Polyomavirus 12 (HPyV12). Its 5033 bp genome is predicted to encode large and small T antigens and the 3 structural proteins VP1, VP2 and VP3. Phylogenetic analyses did not reveal a close relationship to any known human or animal polyomavirus. Investigation of organs, body fluids and excretions of diseased individuals and healthy subjects with both HPyV12-specific nested PCR and quantitative real-time PCR revealed additional virus-positive samples of resected liver, cecum and rectum tissues and a positive fecal sample. A capsomer-based IgG ELISA was established using the major capsid protein VP1 of HPyV12. Seroprevalences of 23% and 17%, respectively, were determined in sera from healthy adults and adolescents and a pediatric group of children. These data indicate that the virus naturally infects humans and that primary infection may already occur in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Division of Viral Infections, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korup
authors.forename: Janita
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rietscher
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Calvignac-Spencer
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trusch
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Moens
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voigt
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmuck
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ehlers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000821:virology*; D023061:Gene Order; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010802:Phylogeny; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins