Epidemiology of enteric virus infections in children living in the Amazon region

Abstract

To verify the frequency of viruses causing acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in association with the histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) and Rotarix TM vaccination coverage in children from the Amazon region. Design: Fecal and saliva samples were collected from children with AGE (n = 485) and acute respiratory infection (ARI) (n = 249) clinical symptoms. Rotavirus A (RVA), norovirus, human adenovirus (HAdV), and sapovirus (SaV) were verified in feces by molecular detection. Saliva samples were used for HBGA phenotyping/FUT3 genotyping. Blood group types, clinical aspects and Rotarix TM RVA vaccination data were recorded. Results: Norovirus remained the most prevalently detected cause of AGE (38%, 184/485 and ARI 21.3%, 53/ 249). High HAdV frequencies were observed in AGE children (28.6%, 139/485) and ARI children (37.3%, 93/ 249). RVA was the third most prevalent virus causing AGE (22.7%, 110/485 and ARI 19.3%, 48/249) and a low RV1 coverage (61%, 448/734) was verified. The SaV frequencies were lower (7.2%, 35/485 for AGE and 6.8%, 17/249 for ARI). Secretor children were HBGA susceptible to HAdV infection (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.3; P = 0.04) but not to RVA, norovirus or SaV infection. Conclusions: Norovirus could be considered the main etiological agent of AGE. No association was verified for HBGA susceptibility to RVA, norovirus and SaV. Secretor children showed a slight susceptibility to HAdV infection and the Le (a-b-) heterogeneous SNPs on the FUT3 gene.

Human enteric adenovirus F40/41 as a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in children in Brazil, 2018 to 2020

“…In Brazil, some studies performed pre- and post-rotavirus vaccine introduction reported HAdV detection rates ranging from 3.9 to 6.8%, indicating a minor impact of HAdV as an etiologic agent of AGE in Brazil 29 – 31 . In contrast, but similar to our findings, data from two recent studies conducted in Northern and Southeastern Brazil reported HAdV detection rates of 28.6% and 18.5%, respectively, among children with AGE symptoms 32 , 33 . Another study in Northern Brazil has detected HAdV in 50% of stool samples from hospitalized children with AGE 34 .…”

“…Given these high detection rates along with the exposure to multiple viruses at similar times increase the likelihood of multiple infections within a short window of time in the same host 54 . Co-detections among enteric viruses are commonly reported, and studies from Brazil, Bangladesh, USA and France have demonstrated the co-detection of HAdV with rotavirus and norovirus, but at lower rates 22 , 33 , 55 – 57 . In addition, Liu et al (2016) 44 detected two or more diarrhoea-associated pathogens in almost 40% of 5304 stool samples tested for 32 enteropathogens in the GEMS case–control study with children under the age of five from countries in Africa and Asia.…”

Interventions to prevent surface transmission of an infectious virus based on real human touch behavior: a case study of the norovirus

“…High-risk surfaces are not determined by the frequency with which they are touched but by how many individuals touched them. Considering children (younger than 5 years) are the most vulnerable population group because they have low immunity, the strategies on norovirus prevention and control for children should be given more attention ( Olivares et al, 2021 ;Safadi et al, 2021 ).…”

Association of histo‐blood group antigens and predisposition to gastrointestinal diseases

“…94 No association was found between HBGA and susceptibility to SaV infection among children from the Amazon region. 73 Human and at a low frequency in the general population. 95 Individuals with blood group A are found susceptible to HAdV infection which might partially explain the failure to acquire antibodies in childhood due to raised natural resistance.…”

“…97 There is a limited studies describing the clear association between HBGAs and HAdV infection suggesting that more investigations are needed to understand the role of HBGAs in determining genetic susceptibility or resistance to HAdV infection. 73 6 | ASSOCIATION OF HISTO-BLOOD GROUP ANTIGEN WITH ENTERIC BACTERIA AND SOME GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES…”