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Clinical surveillance for human astrovirus in Monastir region, Tunisia
Abir Monastiri1, Mahjoub Aouni2, Susana Guix3
1Laboratory of Contagious Diseases and Biologically Active Substances, LR99ES27, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street 5000, Monastir, Tunisia. abirmonastiri@gmail.com.
Insights
Human astrovirus (HAstV) prevalence in Tunisian children with gastroenteritis is low (4%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed HAstV-3c strains circulating in 2010, suggesting potential emergence, alongside earlier HAstV-3a strains.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Public Health
Background:
- Astroviruses (AstVs) are a common cause of gastroenteritis in young children.
- Monitoring AstV circulation is crucial for understanding pediatric infectious diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of human astrovirus (HAstV) in children with acute gastroenteritis in Monastir, Tunisia.
- To characterize circulating HAstV strains and assess their infectivity.
- To conduct phylogenetic analysis of isolated HAstV strains.
Main Methods:
- Stool samples were collected from 50 children under five years old.
- Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for viral detection.
- Sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and cell culture (CaCO-2) were employed for characterization and infectivity assessment.
Main Results:
- A low prevalence of astrovirus (4%) was observed in the study population.
- The two positive samples were identified as HAstV type 3.
- Phylogenetic analysis indicated two distinct HAstV-3 lineages: HAstV-3a (2004 strains) and HAstV-3c (2010 strains).
- Infectious viral particles were confirmed in positive samples cultured on CaCO-2 cells.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms a low prevalence of astrovirus in children with gastroenteritis in Monastir, Tunisia.
- Circulating HAstV-3c strains identified in 2010 may represent an emerging lineage.
- The findings highlight the co-circulation of different HAstV-3 lineages (3a and 3c) over time in the region.
Background/Aims:
Astroviruses (AstVs) are enteric viruses that can cause gastroenteritis in children. This study is part of monitoring the circulation of astroviruses in children hospitalized and/or outpatients for acute gastroenteritis at the primary care center of Ouerdanine or at the Pediatric Department of the University Hospital Fattouma-Bourguiba (Monastir, Tunisia). The aims of our study were to know the prevalence of human astrovirus in clinical samples of children, characterize the strains and evaluate the infectivity of isolated strains on cell culture.
Methods:
Fifty stool samples were collected from children under five years old in the region of Monastir (Tunisia) from October 2010 to June 2011. All specimens were subjected to RT-PCR amplification followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.
Results:
The study shows a low prevalence of astrovirus (4 %) in children. The two positive samples obtained were HAstV type 3. Samples that were RT-PCR positive were cultured in CaCO-2 cells and the presence of infectious viral particles was confirmed. The phylogenetic analysis shows that the different HAstV-3 strains isolated in Tunisia are grouped into two clusters. The first cluster includes strains obtained in 2004, which belong to lineage HAstV-3a, while strains isolated in 2010 belong to lineage HAstV-3c.
Conclusions:
This study is part of monitoring the circulation of astroviruses in children younger than five years old from Monastir region, Tunisia. The results show low prevalence (4 %). All genotyped samples belonged to lineage HAstV-3c, which could be presently emerging. Two different lineages have been isolated in Tunisia: HAstV-3a in 2004 and HAstV-3c in 2010.
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