Comparative epidemiology of rotavirus, subgenus F (types 40 and 41) adenovirus, and astrovirus gastroenteritis in children

✍ Scribed by P. R. Bates; A. S. Bailey; D. J. Wood; Dr. D. J. Morris; J. M. Couriel

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 471 KB
• Volume: 39
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890390309

✦ Synopsis

We report a 5 year prospective study of episodes of rotavirus, subgenus F adenovirus, and astrovirus gastroenteritis diagnosed by electron or immune electron microscopy in a single regional virology laboratory. Of 1426 total infections, the numbers in each category were 1117 (78.3%), 254 (17.8%), and 20 (7.9%), respectively. Using restriction endonuclease analysis or immune electron microscopy, all but 20 of the subgenus F adenovirus strains were classified as type 40 (n = 50) or type 41 (n = 184). Rotavirus and astrovirus infections were more prevalent i n winter than summer, whereas subgenus F (either type 40 and 41) adenoviruses showed no seasonal variation in prevalence. The ratio of type 40 to all typable subgenus F adenoviruses declined between 1984 and 1986 and then increased again. Adenoviruses were relatively more important as causes of viral gastroenteritis in infants aged less than 6 months than in toddlers aged 12 months or more, but even in young infants more rotavirus than adenovirus infections were diagnosed. Our data confirmed the epidemiological differences between rotavirus, subgenus F adenovirus and rotavirus gastroenteritis and documented the shared epidemiological characteristics of type 40 or 41 adenovirus infections.