Enteric virus infections and diarrhea in healthy and human immunodeficiency virus-infected children

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Adapting Gastrointestinal Organoids for Pathogen Infection and Single Cell Sequencing under Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) Conditions

Published on: September 10, 2021

M B Liste1, I Natera, J A Suarez

  • 1Center for Microbiology and Cell Biology, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas, Caracas, Venezuela.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|August 2, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children frequently shed enteroviruses and astroviruses. However, these enteric viruses were not linked to the diarrhea commonly experienced by these children.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often experience chronic diarrhea.
  • The role of enteric viruses in diarrhea among HIV-infected children is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of common enteric viruses in HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative children.
  • To determine if specific enteric viruses are associated with diarrhea in HIV-infected children.

Main Methods:

  • Stool samples from 27 HIV-positive and 38 HIV-negative children were analyzed over 15 months.
  • Diagnostic assays included enzyme immunoassays, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and PCR for various enteric viruses (rotavirus, adenovirus, Norwalk virus, picobirnavirus, astrovirus, enterovirus).

Main Results:

  • Enterovirus and astrovirus were significantly more prevalent in HIV-positive children compared to HIV-negative children (56% vs. 21% and 12% vs. 0%, respectively).
  • Rotavirus, adenovirus, picobirnavirus, and Norwalk virus were not found at significantly different rates between the groups.
  • The incidence of virus-associated diarrhea was similar in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative children.

Conclusions:

  • HIV-infected children frequently shed enteroviruses and astroviruses.
  • Despite frequent shedding, these enteric viruses do not appear to be the primary cause of diarrhea in HIV-infected children.
  • Further research is needed to identify the causes of diarrhea in this population.

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