Detection of the pandemic norovirus variant GII.4 Sydney 2012 in Rio Branco, state of Acre, northern Brazil

Noroviruses (NoVs) are important cause of gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Genotype GII.4 is responsible for the majority of outbreaks reported to date. This study describes, for the first time in Brazil, the circulation of NoV GII.4 variant Sydney 2012 in faecal samples collected from children aged less than or equal to eight years in Rio Branco, state of Acre, northern Brazil, during July-September 2012

Prevalence and molecular diversity of adenovirus in children with severe acute gastroenteritis, in Belém, Pará State, before and after the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Brazil

Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Tropicais. Belém, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Amapá. Coordenação de Farmácia. Macapá, AP, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilUniversidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Tropicais. Belém, PA, Brasil.OBJETIVOS: Detectar a presença e definir os tipos de adenovírus humanos (HAdV) em indivíduos menores de 3 anos de idade, participantes de dois projetos de pesquisa sobre gastroenterites virais, realizados em Belém, estado do Pará, Brasil: o primeiro, um estudo de vigilância hospitalar e ambulatorial, pré-vacinação contra rotavírus (RV), realizado pelo Instituto Evandro Chagas no período de março a setembro de 2003; e o segundo, o projeto "Rotavírus Caso-Controle", pós-vacinação, com crianças hospitalizadas apresentando quadro de gastroenterite aguda no período de maio de 2008 a abril de 2009. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram testadas amostras fecais de 1.160 crianças, utilizando-se as técnicas de ensaio imunoenzimático e imunocromatografia para triagem, a reação em cadeia da polimerase e sequenciamento de nucleotídeos para tipagem e identificação molecular. RESULTADOS: Os HAdV foram encontrados em 7,2% (84/1.160) das amostras e os adenovírus entéricos em 5,0% (58/1.160), equivalendo a 69,0% (58/84) dos casos positivos. Desses, 3,3% (25/760) eram do estudo pré-vacinação contra RV e 8,2% (33/400) do pós-vacinação. A reação de sequenciamento caracterizou a espécie F como a mais prevalente na região, equivalendo a 70,0% (21/30), com o tipo 41 encontrado em 85,7% (18/21) dos casos positivos. CONCLUSÃO: Esses resultados evidenciaram a circulação de HAdV entre a população infantil de Belém, demonstrando a sua importância como causa de gastroenterite com ou sem hospitalização, tanto antes como após a introdução da vacina contra RV na rede pública de saúde no Brasil.OBJECTIVES: To detect the presence and to define the human adenovirus (HAdV) types from individuals under 3 years old in two research projects on viral gastroenteritis in Belém, Pará State, Brazil: the first, an inpatient and outpatient surveillance study on rotavirus (RV) pre-vaccination performed by Instituto Evandro Chagas from March to September 2003; and the second, from the "Rotavirus Case-Control" (post vaccination) study, carried out from May 2008 to April 2009, with hospitalized children due to acute gastroenteritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Faecal samples were tested from 1,160 children using immunoenzymatic assay and immunochromatography techniques for screening, polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing for typing and molecular identification. RESULTS: HAdV were found in 7.2% (84/1,160) of the samples, and enteric adenoviruses in 5.0% (58/1,160), equivalent to 69.0% (58/84) of the positive cases. Of these, 3.3% (25/760) were from the RV pre-vaccination study and 8.2% (33/400) from the post-vaccination. The sequencing reaction characterized the F specie as the most prevalent in the region, equivalent to 70.0% (21/30), with the type 41 in 85.7% (18/21) of the positive cases. CONCLUSION: These results showed HAdV circulation among the infant population in Belém, demonstrating its importance as gastroenteritis agent either hospitalized or not, both before and after the RV vaccine introduction on the Brazilian public health network

Prevalência e diversidade molecular de adenovírus em crianças com gastroenterite aguda grave, em Belém, estado do Pará, antes e após a introdução da vacina contra rotavírus no Brasil

Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Tropicais. Belém, PA, Brasil / Universidade Federal do Amapá. Coordenação de Farmácia. Macapá, AP, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilUniversidade Federal do Pará. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Tropicais. Belém, PA, Brasil.OBJETIVOS: Detectar a presença e definir os tipos de adenovírus humanos (HAdV) em indivíduos menores de 3 anos de idade, participantes de dois projetos de pesquisa sobre gastroenterites virais, realizados em Belém, estado do Pará, Brasil: o primeiro, um estudo de vigilância hospitalar e ambulatorial, pré-vacinação contra rotavírus (RV), realizado pelo Instituto Evandro Chagas no período de março a setembro de 2003; e o segundo, o projeto "Rotavírus Caso-Controle", pós-vacinação, com crianças hospitalizadas apresentando quadro de gastroenterite aguda no período de maio de 2008 a abril de 2009. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram testadas amostras fecais de 1.160 crianças, utilizando-se as técnicas de ensaio imunoenzimático e imunocromatografia para triagem, a reação em cadeia da polimerase e sequenciamento de nucleotídeos para tipagem e identificação molecular. RESULTADOS: Os HAdV foram encontrados em 7,2% (84/1.160) das amostras e os adenovírus entéricos em 5,0% (58/1.160), equivalendo a 69,0% (58/84) dos casos positivos. Desses, 3,3% (25/760) eram do estudo pré-vacinação contra RV e 8,2% (33/400) do pós-vacinação. A reação de sequenciamento caracterizou a espécie F como a mais prevalente na região, equivalendo a 70,0% (21/30), com o tipo 41 encontrado em 85,7% (18/21) dos casos positivos. CONCLUSÃO: Esses resultados evidenciaram a circulação de HAdV entre a população infantil de Belém, demonstrando a sua importância como causa de gastroenterite com ou sem hospitalização, tanto antes como após a introdução da vacina contra RV na rede pública de saúde no Brasil.OBJECTIVES: To detect the presence and to define the human adenovirus (HAdV) types from individuals under 3 years old in two research projects on viral gastroenteritis in Belém, Pará State, Brazil: the first, an inpatient and outpatient surveillance study on rotavirus (RV) pre-vaccination performed by Instituto Evandro Chagas from March to September 2003; and the second, from the "Rotavirus Case-Control" (post vaccination) study, carried out from May 2008 to April 2009, with hospitalized children due to acute gastroenteritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Faecal samples were tested from 1,160 children using immunoenzymatic assay and immunochromatography techniques for screening, polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing for typing and molecular identification. RESULTS: HAdV were found in 7.2% (84/1,160) of the samples, and enteric adenoviruses in 5.0% (58/1,160), equivalent to 69.0% (58/84) of the positive cases. Of these, 3.3% (25/760) were from the RV pre-vaccination study and 8.2% (33/400) from the post-vaccination. The sequencing reaction characterized the F specie as the most prevalent in the region, equivalent to 70.0% (21/30), with the type 41 in 85.7% (18/21) of the positive cases. CONCLUSION: These results showed HAdV circulation among the infant population in Belém, demonstrating its importance as gastroenteritis agent either hospitalized or not, both before and after the RV vaccine introduction on the Brazilian public health network

Detection of the pandemic norovirus variant GII.4 Sydney 2012 in Rio Branco, state of Acre, northern Brazil

Noroviruses (NoVs) are important cause of gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Genotype GII.4 is responsible for the majority of outbreaks reported to date. This study describes, for the first time in Brazil, the circulation of NoV GII.4 variant Sydney 2012 in faecal samples collected from children aged less than or equal to eight years in Rio Branco, state of Acre, northern Brazil, during July-September 2012

Varicella-zoster virus: identification of genotypes in cases of varicella and herpes zoster in the Municipalities of Ananindeua, Belém and Marituba, Pará State, Brazil

Universidade Federal do Pará. Núcleo de Medicina Tropical. Belém, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Núcleo de Medicina Tropical. Belém, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Núcleo de Medicina Tropical. Belém, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Este é um estudo do tipo transversal, em que o critério clínico para inclusão das amostras foi a suspeita clínica e/ou aparecimento dos sintomas da varicela ou herpes-zoster para identificação dos genótipos do vírus da varicela-zoster (VVZ), por meio das técnicas de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e sequenciamento, com posterior pesquisa de polimorfismo de nucleotídeo único (SNP). De novembro de 2008 a março de 2012, foram coletadas 93 amostras (85 casos de varicela e oito de herpes-zoster) de swab nasal, oral e de secreção de vesículas rompidas em vários sítios anatômicos (49 de indivíduos do sexo masculino e 44 do feminino). As estirpes Dumas e Oka parental foram incluídas como referência padrão dos genótipos europeu (classe 1 ou 3) e japonês (classe 2), respectivamente. Estirpes com variabilidade no SNP foram classificadas dentro de um grupo de genótipo denominado mosaico (classe 5). As classes 1 ou 3 foram identificadas em 11 amostras do VVZ, nove casos de varicela e dois casos de herpes-zoster, enquanto que duas amostras apresentaram o genótipo de classe 5, ambos casos de varicela. O genótipo classe 1 ou 3 foi encontrado nos Municípios de Ananindeua, Belém e Marituba, Estado do Pará, Brasil, sendo que o genótipo classe 5 apenas em Ananindeua. A PCR foi sensível em 13 amostras de material direto de vesículas, enquanto que em amostras de saliva não se obteve sucesso.This is a cross-sectional study in which the clinical criteria for inclusion of the samples was the clinical suspicion and/or onset of symptoms of chickenpox or shingles in order to genotype varicella-zoster virus (VZV) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing techniques, with a search of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) subsequently. From November 2008 to March 2012, 93 samples (85 cases of varicella and eight herpes zoster) were collected from oral, nasal swab and secretion of ruptured vesicles in several anatomical sites (49 male and 44 female). Dumas and Oka parental strains were included as European genotypes of the reference standard (class 1 or 3) and Japanese (class 2) genotypes, respectively. Strains with the SNP variability were classified into a group of genotype describe as Mosaic (class 5). Classes 1 or 3 were identified in 11 samples of VZV, nine cases of varicella and two cases of herpes zoster, while two samples showed the class genotype 5, both cases of varicella. The genotype class 1 or 3 was found in the Municipalities of Ananindeua, Belém and Marituba, Pará State, Brazil, and genotype class 5 only in Ananindeua. PCR was sensitive in just 13 samples of direct vesicles material, but in saliva samples there were not positive results

Norovirus genogroups I and II in environmental water samples from Belém city, Northern Brazil

Federal University of Para State. Tropical Medicine Center. Postgraduate Program in Tropical Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. Laboratory of Comparative and Environmental Virology. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Para State. Tropical Medicine Center. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.This study investigated the presence of norovirus (NoV) GI and GII in environmental samples from the northern region of Brazil. Water samples were collected monthly (November 2008/October 2010) from different sources and sewage and concentrated by the adsorption-elution method. The NoV investigation used molecular methods followed by sequencing reactions. The general positivity for NoV was 33.9% (57/168). Considering the results obtained only in the semi-nested RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and only in the TaqMan® real-time PCR, the rates were 26.8% (45/168) and 27.4% (46/168), respectively, being for NoV GI 22.2% (10/45) and 19.6% (9/46); for GII 17.8% (8/45) and 15.2% (7/46); and for GI + GII 60% (27/45) and 65.2% (30/46), respectively. Different GI (GI.1, GI.4, GI.7 and GI.8) and GII (GII.4, GII.6, GII.9, GII.12 and GII.14) genotypes were detected. These results demonstrated the NoV was disseminated in the waters of Belém city due to a lack of sanitation that allowed the discharge of contaminated effluents into these aquatic ecosystems

Norovirus infection in children admitted to hospital for acute gastroenteritis in Belém, Pará, Northern Brazil

Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) Evandro Chagas Institute, SVS, MSFederal University of Pará State. Tropical Medicine Center. Postgraduate Program in Tropical Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará State. Institute of Health Sciences. Belém, PA, Brazil.University of the Pará State. Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology in the Amazon, Center for Biological and Health Sciences. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará State. Tropical Medicine Center. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Noroviruses are the leading cause of epidemic, non-bacterial outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis, and are also a major cause of sporadic acute gastroenteritis in infants. The aim of the present study was to identify norovirus infections in children not infected by rotavirus admitted to hospital for acute gastroenteritis in Belém. A total of 348 fecal specimens were obtained from children with diarrhea aged less than 5 years, all of whom had tested negative for rotavirus, between May 2008 and April 2010. Fecal samples were screened for norovirus antigen using enzyme-immunoassay (EIA). Specimens were subjected to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the primers Mon432/434-Mon431/433 for detection of the GI and GII norovirus strains, respectively. Based on both methods, the overall norovirus positivity rate was 36.5% (127/348). Of the 169 samples collected in the first year, 44.4% (n = 75) tested positive for norovirus using both methods, 35.5% (n = 60) by EIA and 40.8% (n = 69) by RT-PCR. Using RT-PCR as a reference standard, a sensitivity of 78.3%, specificity of 94%, and agreement of 87.6% were recorded. Genome sequencing was obtained for 22 (31.9%) of the 69 positive samples, of which 90.9% (20/22) were genotype GII.4d and 9.1% (2/22) were genotype GII.b. Norovirus infection was most frequent in children under 2 years of age (41.5%-115/277). The peak incidence (62.1%) of norovirus-related acute gastroenteritis in these patients (not infected by rotavirus) was observed in February 2010. These findings emphasize the importance of norovirus as a cause of severe acute gastroenteritis among children in Belém, Pará, Northern Brazil

Norovirus diversity in diarrheic children from an African-descendant settlement in Belém, Northern Brazil.

Norovirus (NoV), sapovirus (SaV) and human astrovirus (HAstV) are viral pathogens that are associated with outbreaks and sporadic cases of gastroenteritis. However, little is known about the occurrence of these pathogens in relatively isolated communities, such as the remnants of African-descendant villages ("Quilombola"). The objective of this study was the frequency determination of these viruses in children under 10 years, with and without gastroenteritis, from a "Quilombola" Community, Northern Brazil. A total of 159 stool samples were obtained from April/2008 to July/2010 and tested by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect NoV, SaV and HAstV, and further molecular characterization was performed. These viruses were detected only in the diarrheic group. NoV was the most frequent viral agent detected (19.7%-16/81), followed by SaV (2.5%-2/81) and HAstV (1.2%-1/81). Of the 16 NoV-positive samples, 14 were sequenced with primers targeting the B region of the polymerase (ORF1) and the D region of the capsid (ORF2). The results showed a broad genetic diversity of NoV, with 12 strains being classified as GII-4 (5-41.7%), GII-6 (3-25%), GII-7 (2-16.7%), GII-17 (1-8.3%) and GI-2 (1-8.3%), as based on the polymerase region; 12 samples were classified, based on the capsid region, as GII-4 (6-50%, being 3-2006b variant and 3-2010 variant), GII-6 (3-25%), GII-17 (2-16.7%) and GII-20 (1-8.3%). One NoV-strain showed dual genotype specificity, based on the polymerase and capsid region (GII-7/GII-20). This study provides, for the first time, epidemiological and molecular information on the circulation of NoV, SaV and HAstV in African-descendant communities in Northern Brazil and identifies NoV genotypes that were different from those detected previously in studies conducted in the urban area of Belém. It remains to be determined why a broader NoV diversity was observed in such a semi-isolated community

SAPOVIRUSES IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS FROM MANAUS , AMAZON REGION, BRAZIL, 2010-2011

SUMMARY Sapoviruses (SaVs) are responsible for acute gastroenteritis in humans, especially children and the elderly. In Brazil, data on SaVs infections are very limited, especially in Northern Brazil. Here, we investigated the occurrence of SaVs in samples from hospitalized children under ten years old that presented acute gastroenteritis. Positive samples were genotyped and phylogenetic analysis was performed using prototype strains sequences obtained from GenBank database. In total, 156 fecal samples were screened by RT-PCR for SaVs. A positivity rate of 3.8% (6/156) was found in children under three years of age. Four genotypes were detected: GI.I, GI.2 and GII.2?-GII.4?/GII.4, suggesting a possible inter-genotypes recombination. Most infections (83.3%) occurred between August and September. The positivity was similar to that found in other countries and genotyping demonstrated the presence of distinct genotypes. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the circulation of SaVs in Manaus, state of Amazonas, Amazon region, Brazil