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Understanding Pediatric Norovirus Epidemiology: A Decade of Study among Ghanaian Children

Belinda L Lartey1,2, Osbourne Quaye1, Susan A Damanka2

  • 1West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra 00233, Ghana.

Viruses
|November 21, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Human norovirus infection affects over a third of young children in Ghana. Genotype GII.4 is most common, but other genotypes are emerging, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Virology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Human norovirus is a significant cause of gastroenteritis in children globally.
  • Understanding norovirus epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa is crucial for vaccine impact.
  • Ghana's specific norovirus burden in children under five requires detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and common genotypes of human norovirus in diarrheal stool samples from children under five years old in Ghana.
  • To analyze trends in norovirus genotypes over a ten-year period (2008-2017).
  • To assess the clinical severity associated with different norovirus genotypes.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 1337 diarrheal stool samples from children under five years old.
  • Detection and genotyping of human norovirus strains.
  • Correlation of clinical illness severity with identified norovirus genotypes.

Main Results:

  • A prevalence of 36.2% for human norovirus was found among the studied children.
  • The most common norovirus genotypes were GII.4 (54.1%), GII.3 (7.7%), GII.6 (5.3%), GII.17 (4.7%), and GII.5 (4.7%).
  • While GII.4 was predominant, increases in GII.6 and GII.3 were noted in 2013 and 2014. Clinical severity was similar across GII.4 and non-GII.4 infections.

Conclusions:

  • Human norovirus is highly prevalent in young children in Ghana, with GII.4 being the dominant genotype.
  • Shifting genotype frequencies underscore the dynamic nature of norovirus epidemiology.
  • Establishing systematic surveillance is recommended for continuous monitoring of norovirus strains in Ghana.

Keywords:
Ghanagastroenteritisgenogroupsgenotypesnorovirusonestep RT-PCR

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