Genetic Diversity of Human Adenovirus in Children with Acute Gastroenteritis, Albania, 2013-2015.
The objectives of the present study were to assess the occurrence of human adenoviruses (HAdVs) in paediatric patients with gastroenteritis in Albania and to characterize HAdV strains. Faecal specimens from children admitted with acute gastroenteritis to the Paediatric Hospital in Tirana were screened for HAdV, using broad-range primers targeting the hexon gene, in combination with species-specific primers targeting the fiber gene. Phylogenetic analysis was then performed to assess the genetic relationships among the different sequences and between the sequences of the samples and those of the prototype strains. Adenovirus DNA was detected in 33/142 samples (23.2%); 14 belonged to species F (13 HAdV-41 and 1 HAdV-40), 13 to species C (1 HAdV-1, 8 HAdV-2, and 4 HAdV-5), 5 to species B (HAdV-3), and 1 to species A (HAdV-12). Rotavirus coinfection was present in 9/33 (27.2%) positive samples. In the remaining 24 positive samples (12 enteric--F species; 12 nonenteric--A, B, or C species), HAdVs were detected as unique viral pathogens, suggesting that HAdV may be an important cause of diarrhoea in children requiring hospitalization. This is the first study investigating the presence of human adenoviruses (species A-G) as etiologic agents of viral gastroenteritis in children in Albania.
Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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La Rosa
Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Della Libera
Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Petricca
Department of Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Iaconelli
Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Donia
Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Saccucci
Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel", 1046 Tirana, Albania.
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Cenko
Pediatric Service, University Hospital "Mother Teresa", 1046 Tirana, Albania.
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Xhelilaj
Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
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Divizia
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000415:Albania; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005145:Face / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity