Virus Genotype Distribution and Virus Burden in Children and Adults Hospitalized for Norovirus Gastroenteritis, 2012-2014, Hong Kong

Sci Rep. 2015 Jun 17:5:11507. doi: 10.1038/srep11507.

Abstract

We conducted a 2-year hospital-based study on norovirus gastroenteritis among children and adults between August 2012 and September 2014. A total of 1,146 norovirus cases were identified. Young children (aged ≤ 5 years) accounted for a majority (53.3%) of cases. Hospitalization incidence exhibited a U-shaped pattern with the highest rate in young children (1,475 per 100,000 person-years), followed by the elderly aged > 84 years (581 per 100,000 person-years). A subset (n = 395, 34.5%) of cases were selected for norovirus genotyping and noroviral load measurement. Non-GII.4 infections were more commonly observed in young children than in older adults (aged > 65 years) (20.5% versus 9.2%; p < 0.05). In young children, the median noroviral load of GII.4 and non-GII.4 cases was indistinguishably high (cycle threshold value, median [interquartile range]: 16.6 [15.2-19.3] versus 16.6 [14.9-21.6]; p = 0.45). Two age-specific non-GII.4 genotypes (GII.3 and GII.6) were identified among young children. These findings may have implications in norovirus vaccination strategy.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Caliciviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Caliciviridae Infections / history
  • Caliciviridae Infections / virology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Feces / virology
  • Female
  • Gastroenteritis / epidemiology*
  • Gastroenteritis / history
  • Gastroenteritis / virology*
  • Genotype*
  • History, 21st Century
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Hospitalization*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Norovirus / genetics*
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Viral Load*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • RNA, Viral