Astrovirus infection in children living in the Central West region of Brazil

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 102; no. 2; pp. 209 - 213
• Main Authors: Santos, Rodrigo Alessandro Tôgo, Borges, Ana Maria Tavares, da Costa, Paulo Sérgio Sucasas, Teixeira, José Marcus Sócrates, Giugliano, Loreny Gimenes, Leite, José Paulo Gagliardi, de Paula Cardoso, Divina das Dôres
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 31.05.2007; Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Astroviridae Infections - diagnosis; Astroviridae Infections - epidemiology; Astrovirus; Brasília; Brasília - Brazil; Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Diarrhea - virology; epidemiology; Feces - virology; Female; gastroenteritis; Gastroenteritis - diagnosis; Gastroenteritis - epidemiology; Gastroenteritis - virology; Goiás; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Mamastrovirus - genetics; Mamastrovirus - isolation & purification; PARASITOLOGY; polymerase chain reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; reverse transcription; reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; Seasons; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Brazil; epidemiology; Brasília; astrovirus; gastroenteritis; Brazil; reverse transcription; polymerase chain reaction; Goiás
• ISSN: 1678-8060; 0074-0276; 1678-8060
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762007005000019

This study presents data regarding the circulation of astrovirus in Goiânia-GO and Brasília-DF. These viruses were detected in fecal samples from hospitalized children up to five years old with and without acute gastroenteritis. A total of 1244 fecal samples were collected in two periods, 1994 to 1996 (Brasília) and 1998 to 2002 (Goiânia and Brasília), and were analyzed for viral RNA using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Positivity rates of 4.3 and 0.5% for astrovirus were observed in children with acute gastroenteritis and those without gastroenteritis, respectively. Among children with gastroenteritis no statistically significant difference was seen with regards to viral positivity rates in relation to gender and age. However, a higher incidence rate was observed for children from Brasília aged 36 months or more. Overall, astroviruses occurred predominantly from September to March in the two cities, suggesting a seasonal pattern for these viruses which coincides with the highest relative air humidity period. The results of this study highlight the importance of astrovirus as an etiologic agent of acute gastroenteritis in children of the Central West region of Brazil.