DIARRHEAL DISEASES

Norovirus

After roll-out of the infant rotavirus vaccine, norovirus has become a leading cause of early childhood diarrhea worldwide, with substantial morbidity. In collaboration with Dr. Sylvia Becker-Dreps and colleagues at UNAN-León, we are collecting data in a hospital- and community-based case-control study to examine risk factors for severe norovirus gastroenteritis in young children in urban Nicaragua. Using next-generation sequencing tools we will also examine norovirus transmission within households.

Sapovirus

Sapovirus is another calicivirus that is an emerging cause of childhood diarrhea, especially after the decline in rotavirus incidence due to vaccination; however, much less is known about this pathogen. In collaboration with the Baric lab at UNC and Dr. Bob Gilman’s group based in Lima, Peru, we are doing preliminary studies of the immunology and epidemiology of sapovirus.