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Astrovirus MLB1 is not associated with diarrhea in a cohort of Indian children

Lori R Holtz1, Irma K Bauer, Priya Rajendran

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.

Plos One
|December 17, 2011
PubMed

Insights

This study investigated the association between MLB1 astrovirus and diarrhea. Researchers found classic human astroviruses (HAstVs) linked to diarrhea, but MLB1 showed no significant association in a case-control study.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Astroviruses are recognized causes of human gastroenteritis.
  • A divergent astrovirus, MLB1, has been detected in stool samples, prompting investigation into its role in disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the association between MLB1 astrovirus and diarrhea.
  • To assess the prevalence of classic human astroviruses (HAstVs) in the same cohort.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study was conducted with 400 cases and 400 paired controls from a longitudinal birth cohort in Vellore, India.
  • Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze stool samples for astrovirus detection.
  • Statistical analysis was performed to compare MLB1 prevalence and viral load between cases and controls.

Main Results:

  • Classic human astroviruses (HAstVs) were significantly associated with diarrhea (p = 0.029).
  • MLB1 astrovirus was detected in 14 controls and 4 cases, with no significant association with diarrhea.
  • No significant difference in MLB1 viral load was observed between individuals with and without diarrhea.

Conclusions:

  • While HAstVs are confirmed to be associated with diarrhea, MLB1 does not appear to be a significant cause in this population.
  • The role of MLB1 astrovirus in human health requires further investigation through future studies.

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