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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2000, p. 1058-1062, Vol. 38, No. 3
0095-1137/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of Astrovirus Infection in Young Children Hospitalized with Acute Gastroenteritis in Melbourne, Australia, over a Period of Four Consecutive Years, 1995 to 1998

Huseyin Mustafa, Enzo A. Palombo,* and Ruth F. Bishop

Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia

Received 27 August 1999/Returned for modification 17 November 1999/Accepted 15 December 1999

The incidence of astrovirus infection in children less than 5 years of age hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Melbourne, Australia, from 1995 to 1998 was determined. Astrovirus was detected in 40 of 449 specimens tested by Northern hybridization, and astrovirus infection was confirmed by reverse transcription-PCR with or without culture in CaCO-2 cells. This represented 3.0% (40 of 1,327) of all children tested for enteric pathogens, including viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens, over the survey period. The incidences of astrovirus infection in each year were 4.4% (1995), 2.2% (1996), 3.9% (1997), and 1.4% (1998). In 1995 and 1997, the incidences of astrovirus infection were greater than the incidence of infection with all individual bacterial pathogens and were either greater than or equal to the incidence of adenovirus infection. Astrovirus exhibited an unusual biennial winter peak of incidence that correlated with a greater incidence of serotype 1 virus and an increased rate of hospitalization of children aged 6 to 12 months. Uncommon (serotype 2 and 4) and rare (serotype 8) serotypes were detected during the survey period. Genetic analysis of ORF2 (which encodes the astrovirus capsid precursor) of Melbourne isolates showed nucleotide sequence variation from year to year. This was not accompanied by significant amino acid substitutions. However, geographical variation was apparent by comparison of Melbourne astrovirus isolates with prototype strains identified in the United Kingdom.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. Phone: 61 3 9345 5060. Fax: 61 3 9345 6240. E-mail: palomboe{at}cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2000, p. 1058-1062, Vol. 38, No. 3
0095-1137/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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