title: Analysis of Aichi virus and Saffold virus association with pediatric acute gastroenteritis.
abstract: Aichi virus (AiV) and Saffold virus (SAFV) have been reported in children with acute gastroenteritis and respiratory disease worldwide; however, their causative role in acute gastroenteritis remains ambiguous.
  
  
  
  To assess the clinical association of AiV and SAFV with acute gastroenteritis in the pediatric population.
  
  
  
  A case-control study involving 461 paired stool samples from pediatric cases with diarrhea and healthy controls was conducted in China. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to screen AiV and SAFV.
  
  
  
  In the 461 paired samples, AiV and SAFV were more prevalent among asymptomatic children than children with acute gastroenteritis (0.87% vs. 0.43% and 2.8% vs. 1.5%, respectively), with no significant differences between groups (p=0.142 and p=0.478, respectively). Cox regression model analysis revealed no correlation between AiV (odds ratio, OR=2.24; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.76-6.54) or SAFV infection (OR=1.36; 95% CI, 0.86-2.15) and diarrhea. High viral loads were found in both AiV- and SAFV-positive groups, with no significant difference in viral load between the groups (p=0.507 and p=0.677, respectively). No other known enteric pathogens were found in the AiV-positive samples but common in SAFV-positive cases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all 6 AiV subjects clustered with genotype B. All 7 SAFV-positive cases and 8 of 13 SAFV-positive controls were genotyped successfully; the genotypes identified included SAFV-1, SAFV-2 SAFV-3, and SAFV-6.
  
  
  
  Our study revealed no association of these viruses in acute gastroenteritis in children. These viruses may have the ability to replicate in humans; however, the infections are usually asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jei-Mei
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ao
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: O Colin
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Stine
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, China CDC, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zhaojund@126.com.
authors.forename: Zhao-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D052699:Kobuvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017945:Theilovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Aichi virus; Case-control; Pathogenicity; Real-time PCR; Saffold virus