Molecular epidemiology analysis of symptomatic and asymptomatic norovirus infections in Chinese infants
Issued Date
2023-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
1743422X
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85151781039
Pubmed ID
37016444
Journal Title
Virology Journal
Volume
20
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Virology Journal Vol.20 No.1 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Chen L.N., Wang S.J., Wang S.M., Fu X.L., Zheng W.J., Hao Z.Y., Zhou H.S., Zhang X.J., Zhao Y.L., Qiu C., von Seidlein L., Qiu T.Y., Wang X.Y. Molecular epidemiology analysis of symptomatic and asymptomatic norovirus infections in Chinese infants. Virology Journal Vol.20 No.1 (2023). doi:10.1186/s12985-023-02024-z Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/81339
Title
Molecular epidemiology analysis of symptomatic and asymptomatic norovirus infections in Chinese infants
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: Norovirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among children. Previous studies based on symptomatic infections indicated that mutations, rather than recombination drove the evolution of the norovirus ORF2. These characteristics were found in hospital-based symptomatic infections, whereas, asymptomatic infections are frequent and contribute significantly to transmission. Methods: We conducted the first norovirus molecular epidemiology analysis covering both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections derived from a birth cohort study in the northern China. Results: During the study, 14 symptomatic and 20 asymptomatic norovirus infections were detected in 32 infants. Out of the 14 strains that caused symptomatic infections, 12 strains were identified as GII.3[P12], and others were GII.4[P31]. Conversely, 17 asymptomatic infections were caused by GII.4[P31], two by GII.2[P16], and one by GII.4[P16]. Regardless of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, the mutations were detected frequently in the ORF2 region, and almost all recombination were identified in the RdRp-ORF2 region. The majority of the mutations were located around the predefined epitope regions of P2 subdomain indicating a potential for immune evasion. Conclusion: The role of symptomatic as well as asymptomatic infections in the evolution of norovirus needs to be evaluated continuously.