Timing and genotype distribution of symptomatic and asymptomatic sapovirus infections and re-infections in a Nicaraguan birth cohort
Authors
González F, Diez-Valcarce M, Reyes Y, Vielot NA, Toval C, Gutiérrez L, Zepeda O, Cuadra EC, Blandón P, Browne H, Bowman NM, Víchez S, Vinjé J, Becker-Dreps S, Bucardo F.
Abstract
Objectives: To characterize the timing and genotype distribution of symptomatic and asymptomatic sapovirus infections and re-infections in a Nicaraguan birth cohort. Methods: Infants (n = 444) were enrolled at 10-14 days of life and followed weekly until 2 years of age. Stool were collected for each acute gastroenteritis (AGE) episode and routine stool were collected monthly. Stools were tested for sapovirus by RT-qPCR and positive samples were genotyped. Results: A total of 348 children completes 2 years of AGE weekly surveillance, 93 (26.7%) of them experienced sapovirus AGE. Most infections occurred after 5 months of age and mainly the second year of life (62.4%, 58/93) and early in the rainy season. Sapovirus screening in all stools from a subset of 67 children, that consistently provided samples, show sapovirus infections in 27.6% (91/330) of the AGE episode and in 2.9% (39/1350) of the routine stool. In this subset, the median age at the first sapovirus AGE was 11.2 month (95%CI; 9.3 – 15.9), 57% (38/67) experienced re-infections, 19 symptomatic and 19 asymptomatic; on average, sapovirus re-infections were reported 7.2 months after symptomatic and 5.3 after asymptomatic infections. Genogroups GI (64%, 69/108) was the most common detected. Sapovirus GI.1 was more frequently detected in AGE than in routine stools (47.2%, 43/91 vs 25.6%, 10/39; p = 0.005) and re-infection with the same genotype was uncommon. Conclusion: The first sapovirus infections occurred around 11 months of age, whereas the median time to symptomatic re-infection was 7.2 months. Re-infections with the same sapovirus genotype were rare during 2 years of life suggesting genotype-specific protection following natural infection.
Citation
González F, Diez-Valcarce M, Reyes Y, Vielot NA, Toval C, Gutiérrez L, Zepeda O, Cuadra EC, Blandón P, Browne H, Bowman NM, Víchez S, Vinjé J, Becker-Dreps S, Bucardo F. Timing and genotype distribution of symptomatic and asymptomatic sapovirus infections and re-infections in a Nicaraguan birth cohort. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2022 Nov 21:S1198-743X(22)00585-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2022.11.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36423864.
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