Human group C rotavirus in children with diarrhea in the Federal District, Brazil

Abstract

Group C rotaviruses are fastidious in their in vitro cell culture requirements. Recent serosurveys indicate that antibody to group C rotavirus is present in 3-45% of the human population in certain geographic locations, suggesting that rotavirus group C infection is more prevalent than previously believed and that the low rate of detection of these agents is probably due to the lack of sensitive diagnostic assays. From March to December 1994, 406 fecal specimens were collected from children under five years of age who were outpatients at the emergency services of nine public hospitals in Brasília, Federal District, Brazil. In addition to the samples from children, one public outpatient unit requested virological investigation of a stool sample from an HIV-seropositive adult male with diarrhea of sudden onset. All samples were analyzed by enzyme immunoassay for group A rotavirus and adenovirus (EIARA) and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). One hundred and seven (26%) were positive for group A rotavirus. Four samples from children and the sample from the HIVseropositive patient, although negative by EIARA, showed a group C rotavirus profile by PAGE and were positive for rotavirus by electron microscopy. Using specific VP6 and VP7 primers for group C rotavirus, a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed and products were detected by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. These products were confirmed to be specific for group C rotavirus by using digoxigenin-oligonucleotide probes, Southern hybridization and chemiluminescent detection. The five positive group C rotavirus samples were detected in August (3 samples) and September (2 samples). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of group C rotavirus detected in the Federal District, Brazil and in an HIV-seropositive patient with acute gastroenteritis. Correspondence

Etiological agents of diarrhea in patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus-1: a review

“…In general, the percentage of detection of at least one enteric virus ranged from 6.4 to 52% in Venezuelan HIV-infected individuals 42,59 and from 20 to 35% in HIV seropositive populations from Argentina and the United States of America 39,43 . Rotavirus is one of the main causes of infantile gastroenteritis due to the greater exposure of children 87 . Among the HIV seropositive infantile population, the data are divergent depending on the geographical region considered with frequencies of isolation of 0%, 5% and 30% in Brazilian 78 , Venezuelan 59 and Malaysian 21 children, respectively.…”

Epidemiologia das infecções por rotavírus no Brasil e os desafios para o seu controle

“…No Distrito Federal, centro-oeste brasileiro, Teixeira et al (1998) caracterizaram rotaví-rus do grupo C em amostras fecais de crianças diarréicas e paciente imunodeprimido, ao longo de 1994, valendo-se do emprego do PAGE e RT-PCR.…”

Diarrhea outbreaks in suckling piglets due to rotavirus group C single and mixed (rotavirus groups A and B) infections

“…RVC has been associated with enteritis in humans, pigs, calves, dogs, and ferrets, and this group of RV is considered an important emerging agent of viral diarrhea in these species (Torres-Medina 1987, Teixeira et al 1998, Otto et al 1999, Médici et al 2011, Park et al 2011. In Brazil, RVC has been identified as a cause of diarrhea in human and animal hosts (Teixeira et al 1998, Médici et al 2010b.…”

“…In Brazil, RVC has been identified as a cause of diarrhea in human and animal hosts (Teixeira et al 1998, Médici et al 2010b.…”