Molecular epidemiology of noroviruses in Northern Greece, 2005-2006

Noroviruses (NoVs) are important human pathogens associated with acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide, displaying significant genetic heterogeneity. Genotype GII.4 is responsible for the majority of outbreaks reported to date. A total of 460 faecal samples from sporadic gastroenteritis cases were s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical virology 2015-01, Vol.87 (1), p.170-174
Main Authors: Ifantidou, Athina M., Kachrimanidou, Melina, Markopoulou, Soultana, Kansouzidou, Athina, Malisiovas, Nikolaos, Papa, Anna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Caliciviridae Infections - epidemiology
Caliciviridae Infections - virology
Child
Child, Preschool
Cluster Analysis
Epidemiology
Feces - virology
Female
Gastroenteritis - epidemiology
Gastroenteritis - virology
Genetic diversity
Genotype
genotypes
Greece
Greece - epidemiology
Humans
Infant
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular biology
Molecular Epidemiology
Molecular Sequence Data
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Norovirus
Norovirus - classification
Norovirus - genetics
Norovirus - isolation & purification
Pathogens
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Viral - genetics
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sequence Homology
Virology
Young Adult
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Summary:Noroviruses (NoVs) are important human pathogens associated with acute viral gastroenteritis worldwide, displaying significant genetic heterogeneity. Genotype GII.4 is responsible for the majority of outbreaks reported to date. A total of 460 faecal samples from sporadic gastroenteritis cases were screened for the presence of NoV RNA. Four additional human samples collected during a waterborne NoV gastroenteritis outbreak observed in 2005 in northern Greece, were also included in the study. All PCR‐positive samples were tested further using a multiplex RT‐PCR, which targets the viral capsid VP1 region D. PCR products from all outbreak samples and from 20 randomly selected samples were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that GII.4 genotype predominated (70%), while genotypes GII.2 (10%), GII.7 (15%), and GI.1 (5%) were also detected. All the outbreak NoV strains belonged to the GI.1 genotype. The present study provides a first insight into the epidemiology and genetic diversity of NoVs in Greece and shows that various strains are circulating in the country and cause sporadic cases or outbreaks. J. Med. Virol. 87: 170–174, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN:0146-6615
1096-9071
DOI:10.1002/jmv.23977