Norovirus Epidemiology and Genotype Circulation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil, 2019-2022.

ABSTRACT: Norovirus stands out as a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide, affecting all age groups. In the present study, we investigated fecal samples from medically attended AGE patients received from nine Brazilian states, from 2019 to 2022, including the COVID-19 pandemic period. Norovirus GI and GII were detected and quantified using RT-qPCR, and norovirus-positive samples underwent genotyping through sequencing the ORF1/2 junction region. During the four-year period, norovirus prevalence was 37.2%, varying from 20.1% in 2020 to 55.4% in 2021. GII genotypes dominated, being detected in 92.9% of samples. GII-infected patients had significantly higher viral concentrations compared to GI-infected patients (median of 3.8 × 10⁷ GC/g and 6.7 × 10⁵ GC/g, respect

SUBMITTER: Sarmento SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10818385 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature