• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2021

Human Sapovirus (HuSaV) is one of the major causes of acute gastroenteritis in humans, and it is used as a molecular diagnostic technique based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from humans, food, shellfish, and aquatic environments. In this study, the HuSaV diagnosis technique was used in an aquatic environment where a number of PCR inhibitors are included and pathogens, such as viruses, are estimated to exist at low concentration levels. HuSaV-specific primers are improved to detect 38 strains registered in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The established optimal condition and the composition, including the RT-nested PCR primers and SL® Non-specific reaction inhibitor, were found to have 100 times higher sensitivity based on HuSaV plasmid than the previously reported methods (100 ag based on HuSaV plasmid 1 ng/μL). Through an artificial infection test, the developed method was able to detect at least 1 fg/μL of HuSaV plasmid contaminated with total nucleic acid extracted from groundwater. In addition, RT-nested PCR primer sets for HuSaV detection can react, and a positive control is developed to verify false positives. This study is expected to be used as a HuSaV monitoring method in the future and applied to the safety response to HuSaV from water environments.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2020

The zoonotic transmission of viral diseases to humans is a serious public health concern. Pigs are frequently a major reservoir for several zoonotic viral diseases. Therefore, periodic surveillance is needed to determine the infection rates of zoonotic diseases in domestic pigs. Hepatitis E virus (HEV), rotavirus, sapovirus (SaV), and norovirus (NoV) are potential zoonotic viruses. In this study, 296 fecal samples were collected from weaned piglets and growing pigs in 13 swine farms, and the viral RNA was extracted. Partial viral genomes were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nested-PCR using virus-specific primer sets under different PCR conditions. HEV-3, rotavirus A, and SaV genogoup 3 were detected from 11.5, 2.7, and 3.0% of the samples, respectively. On the other hand, NoV was not detected in any of the samples. Genetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide sequences of swine HEV-3 and rotavirus A detected in this study were closely related to those of human isolates. However, swine SaV was distant from the human strains. These results suggest that HEV-3 and rotavirus A can be transmitted from pigs to humans. Therefore, strict preventive measures should be implemented by workers in the swine industry to prevent infections with HEV-3 and rotavirus A excreted from pigs.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.162-170
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• 2013

Purpose: To detect major acute gastroenteritis virus (rotavirus, norovirus, astrovirus, and enteric adenovirus) and non-enteric type of adenovirus (AdV) in the stools of intussusception patients and to investigate the clinical role of detected viruses. Methods: From March 2012 to February 2013, major acute gastroenteritis virus and non-enteric type of AdV were isolated from stool samples that collected from 44 patients treated for intussusception in Chungnam National University Hospital. Patients were divided according to age and isolated virus. Results: Virus was detected in 28 (63%) stool specimens. The virus detection rate was significantly lower in patients aged under 12 months (p = 0.04). Twenty-two patients (78.6%) had non-enteric adenovirus, 4 (14.3%) had norovirus, 1 (3.6%) had sapovirus, and 1 (3.6%) had astrovirus. AdV subgroup C (AdV 1, 2, 5, and 6) comprised the majority with 20 cases (90.9%). A monthly increment-and-decrement pattern of intussusception was similar to that of viral detection in the stool samples. Enema reductions were successful in 39 patients and surgical manual reductions were performed in 5 patients. Virus was detected in 24 patients (61.5%) of enema reduction group and 4 patients (80.0%) of surgical manual reduction group. All of the detected viruses were non-enteric adenovirus subgroup C (AdV 1, 5, and 6) in surgical reduction patients. Conclusions: The virus detection rate was high in the stools of intussusception patients. The pattern of seasonal intussusception occurrence rate was parallel with seasonal these viral detection rate in the stool samples. These findings suggest that viral infection plays an important role in the development of intussusception and further research is warranted.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the disease severity of children suffering from gastroenteritis using different scales. The results are compared and subsequently classified on the basis of the type of virus causing the disease in order to investigate the differences in clinical characteristics and disease severity according to pathogen. Method: This study was conducted prospectively with patients under 5 years of age diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis and hospitalized at 9 medical institutions in 8 regions across the Republic of Korea. Disease severity was evaluated using the Vesikari Scale, the Clark Scale, and the modified Flores Scale. Fecal samples collected from patients were used to detect rotavirus and enteric adenovirus by enzyme immunoassay, and for RT-PCR of norovirus, astrovirus, and sapovirus. Results: There were a total of 214 patients with a male : female ratio of 1.58 : 1, of which 35 were under the age of 6 months (16.4%), 105 were aged 6-23 months (49.1%), and 74 were aged 24-59 months (34.5%). The rate of concordance between the Vesikari and Clark Scales was 0.521 (P<0.001) and, in severe cases, the Vesikari Scale was 60.7% and Clark Scale was 2.3%, indicating that the Clark Scale was stricter in the evaluation of severe cases. Conclusions: In children with gastroenteritis, there were differences in disease severity based on the scale used. Therefore, to achieve consistent results among researchers, either only a single scale or a measure of all scales should be used to determine disease severity.