Unveiling Viruses Associated with Gastroenteritis Using a Metagenomics Approach

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Infectious Diseases
• Genomics

Background:

• Acute infectious gastroenteritis is a significant global health concern, particularly in children.
• Viruses are responsible for approximately 70% of acute gastroenteritis cases.
• Many cases have unidentified etiological agents, highlighting the need for advanced detection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify unknown viral pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis in patients previously testing negative for common agents.
• To leverage next-generation sequencing (NGS) for viral pathogen discovery in clinical samples.
• To inform routine clinical diagnostics by identifying key viral contributors to gastroenteritis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 124 patient samples from 2012-2014 using viral metagenomics via next-generation sequencing (NGS).
• Samples were pooled by age and pre-screened for common gastroenteritis pathogens.
• Sequencing data was analyzed to identify viral sequences associated with gastroenteritis.

Main Results:

• The most abundant viral sequences belonged to the Astroviridae and Caliciviridae families, including norovirus GIV and sapoviruses.
• Rotaviruses were detected at lower frequencies.
• Other identified viruses associated with gastroenteritis or persistent gut infections included picornaviruses and adenoviruses.

Conclusions:

• Astroviruses, sapoviruses, and norovirus GIV should be considered for inclusion in routine clinical screening panels for acute gastroenteritis.
• Viral metagenomics is a powerful tool for uncovering novel and unexpected viral pathogens in clinical settings.
• Enhanced viral diagnostics are crucial for understanding and managing gastroenteritis outbreaks.