title: Prevalence and molecular characterization of human noroviruses and sapoviruses in Ethiopia.
abstract: Viral gastroenteritis is a major public health problem worldwide. In Ethiopia, very limited studies have been done on the epidemiology of enteropathogenic viruses. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize noroviruses (NoVs) and sapoviruses (SaVs) from acute gastroenteritis patients of all ages. Fecal samples were collected from diarrheic patients (n = 213) in five different health centers in Addis Ababa during June-September 2013. The samples were screened for caliciviruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using universal and genogroup-specific primer pairs. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the sequences of the PCR products. Of the clinical samples, 25.3 % and 4.2 % were positive for NoV and SaV RNA, respectively. Among the norovirus positives, 22 were sequenced further, and diverse norovirus strains were identified: GI (n = 4), GII (n = 17) and GIV (n = 1). Most strains were GII (n = 17/22: 77.2 %), which were further divided into three different genotypes (GII.4, GII.12/GII.g recombinant-like and GII.17), with GII.17 being the dominant (7/17) strain detected. GI noroviruses, in particular GI.4 (n = 1), GI.5 (n = 2) and GI.8 (n = 1), were also detected and characterized. The GIV strain detected is the first from East Africa. The sapoviruses sequenced were also the first reported from Ethiopia. Collectively, this study showed the high burden and diversity of noroviruses and circulation of sapoviruses in diarrheic patients in Ethiopia. Continued surveillance to assess their association with diarrhea is needed to define their epidemiology, disease burden, and impact on public health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. zufsisay@gmail.com.|Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. zufsisay@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zufan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sisay
authors.affiliation: Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, P.O.Box 30709, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Appolinaire
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Djikeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Nega
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berhe
authors.affiliation: Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Gurja
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Belay
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Wondwossen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gebreyes
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Woldaregay Erku
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Abegaz
authors.affiliation: Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, P.O.Box 30709, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Moses N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Njahira
authors.affiliation: Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, 44691, USA.
authors.forename: Q H
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, 44691, USA. saif.2@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Saif
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017250:Caliciviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029322:Norovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D029341:Sapovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult