title: Norovirus molecular detection in Uruguayan sewage samples reveals a high genetic diversity and GII.4 variant replacement along time.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of norovirus (NoV) genogroup I (GI) and GII in Uruguay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and sixteen sewage samples were collected in six cities (Bella Unión, Salto, Paysandú, Fray Bentos, Melo and Treinta y Tres) from March 2011 to April 2013, viruses were concentrated by ultracentrifugation and NoV studies were performed by semi-nested RT-PCR (partial capsid region). NoV were detected in samples from all the cities and detected in 72% (84/116) of the samples with nine of them belonging to GI, 48 to GII and 27 to both genogroups. Remarkably, a high genetic diversity was identified: GII.2 (n = 13), GII.4 (n = 13), GI.1 (n = 5), GI.4 (n = 5), GI.8 (n = 4), GII.13 (n = 4), GII.1 (n = 3), GII.6 (n = 3), GI.3 (n = 1), GI.5 (n = 1), GI.6 (n = 1), GII.3 (n = 1), GII.17 (n = 1). Interestingly, a complete replacement of GII.4 New Orleans 2009 by GII.4 Sydney 2012 variants during 2012 was evidenced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals a high circulation of different NoV GI and GII genotypes in sewage evidencing a replacement of GII.4 variants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This approach can be used as an indicator of the presence of a new GII.4 variant which can originate an increase in acute gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Regional Norte, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Victoria
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Regional Norte, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: L F L
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Tort
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Regional Norte, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lizasoain
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Regional Norte, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Regional Norte, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castells
authors.affiliation: Virology Section, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berois
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Virology, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Divizia
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: J P G
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Miagostovich
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Nuclear Investigation Center, School of Sciences, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cristina
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Department of Biological Sciences, Regional Norte, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Salto, Uruguay.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colina
mesh_terms: D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000821:virology; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D029322:Norovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology*; D014583:Uruguay
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D012722:Sewage
keywords: genetic diversity; genotypes; norovirus; sewage; variant replacement