Incidence and prevalence of human group C rotavirus infections in Argentina

J Med Virol. 2002 May;67(1):106-12. doi: 10.1002/jmv.2198.

Abstract

The incidence of human group C rotavirus infections among children and adults in Buenos Aires was evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) based on recombinant group C VP6 protein (Cowden strain). A total of 976 stool samples taken from patients (ages 6 months to 15 years) with acute diarrhea were tested for the presence of group C rotavirus. Among these, only 10 (1.02%) were group C rotavirus positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) confirmed by absorption with group C VP6 antibodies and by RT-PCR for both VP6 and VP7 genes. The average age (5.86 years) was significantly superior to that in group A-infected patients (1.63 years). Previous exposure to this virus was assessed by detecting specific IgG in sera taken from healthy individuals grouped by age. Of 844 sera tested, 425 (50.3%) were group C IgG positive by ELISA, confirmed by Western blot analysis. The rates of IgG positivity for group A and C rotaviruses during the first years of life indicated that infections with group C are frequent in older children (3-5 years), whereas group A infections are prevalent in infants and young children (6-18 months). This study shows that group C rotavirus infections in Argentine children occur later in life than group A and are relatively common in spite of the low detection rate of this virus.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology
  • Argentina / epidemiology
  • Blotting, Western / methods
  • Capsid / genetics
  • Capsid / immunology
  • Capsid Proteins*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diarrhea / epidemiology*
  • Diarrhea / virology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Prevalence
  • Rotavirus / genetics
  • Rotavirus / immunology
  • Rotavirus / isolation & purification
  • Rotavirus Infections / blood
  • Rotavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Rotavirus Infections / virology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Capsid Proteins
  • VP6 protein, Rotavirus
  • VP7 protein, Rotavirus