title: Astrovirus MLB2, a New Gastroenteric Virus Associated with Meningitis and Disseminated Infection.
abstract: Next-generation sequencing has identified novel astroviruses for which a pathogenic role is not clearly defined. We identified astrovirus MLB2 infection in an immunocompetent case-patient and an immunocompromised patient who experienced diverse clinical manifestations, notably, meningitis and disseminated infection. The initial case-patient was identified by next-generation sequencing, which revealed astrovirus MLB2 RNA in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, urine, and anal swab specimens. We then used specific real-time reverse transcription PCR to screen 943 fecal and 424 cerebrospinal fluid samples from hospitalized patients and identified a second case of meningitis, with positive results for the agent in the patient's feces and plasma. This screening revealed 5 additional positive fecal samples: 1 from an infant with acute diarrhea and 4 from children who had received transplants. Our findings demonstrate that astrovirus MLB2, which is highly prevalent in feces, can disseminate outside the digestive tract and is an unrecognized cause of central nervous system infection.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cordey
authors.forename: Diem-Lan
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schibler
authors.forename: Arnaud G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: L'Huillier
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Mylène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Docquier
authors.forename: Klara M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Posfay-Barbe
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turin
authors.forename: Evgeny M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zdobnov
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D019350:Astroviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D006801:Humans; D001257:Mamastrovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: astrovirus; astrovirus MLB2; enteric infections; high-throughput nucleotide sequencing; immunocompromised host; mamastrovirus; viral meningitis; viremia; viruses