The incidence of enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection has greatly increased in the Asian Pacific region since 1997. Several large outbreaks, caused by different subgenogroups of EV71, occurred with high rates of morbidity and a substantial number of deaths. In 2007, 58 cases of EV71 infection requiring hospitalization were reported in The Netherlands after a period of low endemicity of 21 years. The...

BACKGROUND Noroviruses (NoVs) are genetically diverse, with genogroup II-and within it-genotype 4 (GII.4) being the most prevalent cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterize genogroup II NoV causing acute gastroenteritis in the Basque Country (northern Spain) from 2009-2012. METHODS The presence of NoV RNA was investigated by reverse transcriptase-poly...

A study was undertaken to investigate the diversity of noroviruses (NVs) in fecal samples from patients from 529 outbreaks and 141 sporadic cases of gastroenteritis in the North of England from September 1998 to August 2001. NV strains were detected by electron microscopy and characterized by a combination of the Grimsby virus antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcriptase PCR...

Stool specimens collected between November 2002 and April 2003 from hospitalized infants with acute gastroenteritis from four distinct geographical regions in Thailand were examined for norovirus (NoV) and sapovirus (SaV) by reverse transcription-PCR and sequence analysis. Of the 80 specimens examined, we identified 11 NoV and 9 SaV single infections, and 3 NoV/SaV mixed infections. The majorit...

Human sapoviruses (SaVs) were quantified and characterized in an 18-month survey conducted along the Llobregat river catchment area in Spain. Sample types included freshwater, untreated and treated wastewater, and drinking water. All genogroups were recovered, and a seasonal distribution was observed. This is the first report of SaV quantification and genotyping in the environment outside Japan.

To determine the cause of a 2008 outbreak of aseptic meningitis in Shandong Province, China, we analyzed samples from outbreak patients and coxsackievirus B3 samples collected during 1990-2010 surveillance. The cause of the outbreak was coxsackievirus B3, genogroup D. Frequent travel might increase importation of other coxsackievirus B3 genogroups.

Human caliciviruses (HuCVs) are classified into the Norwalk-like viruses (NLV) and Sapporo-like viruses (SLV) as genera within the family CALICIVIRIDAE: The NLV genus is further classified into genogroups I and II, based on sequence similarities. To study the antigenic determinants on the HuCV capsid protein and develop new diagnostic tools for field samples, we established and characterized mo...

The cDNA nucleotide sequence of genome segment B encoding the VP1 protein was determined for the aquatic birnavirus GC1 isolated from the rockfish Sebastes schlegeli in Korea. The VP1 protein of GC1 contains a 2,538 bp open reading frame, which encodes a protein comprising 846 amino acid residues that has a predicted MW of 94 kDa. The sequence contains 6 potential Asn-X-Ser/Thr motifs. Eight po...

Municipal wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in reducing the microbial and pathogen load of human wastes before the end-products are discharged to surface waters (final effluent) or land spread (biosolids). This study investigated the occurrence frequency of noroviruses, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in influent, final effluent and biosolids from four secondary was...