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Coronavirus-like particles as aetiological agents of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans
Insights
Coronavirus-like particles in infant feces resemble human coronaviruses. These particles are more frequent in sick infants with gastroenteritis, suggesting a link, but their role in adult gastroenteritis is unclear.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Human coronaviruses are known pathogens.
- Acute gastroenteritis is a common illness in infants and adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphology and prevalence of coronavirus-like particles in neonates and infants with acute gastroenteritis.
- To compare the detection frequency in sick versus healthy children and adults.
Main Methods:
- Morphological analysis of coronavirus-like particles in fecal extracts.
- Detection of particles in fecal samples from neonates, infants, and adults (both diseased and healthy).
Main Results:
- Coronavirus-like particles in sick infants showed morphological similarities to human coronaviruses.
- These particles were detected more frequently in sick neonates and infants than in healthy children.
- The particles were found with similar frequency in both diseased and healthy adults.
Conclusions:
- Coronavirus-like particles may be associated with acute gastroenteritis in neonates and infants.
- The clinical significance of enteric coronavirus-like particles in adult acute gastroenteritis remains uncertain.
Abstract:
The morphology of coronavirus-like particles found in faecal extracts of neonates and infants with acute gastroenteritis show similarities with the structure of human coronaviruses. These coronavirus-like particles can be detected in faeces of sick neonates and infants in higher frequency than in healthy children of the same age, their association with this clinical syndrome is discussed. The significance of enteric coronavirus-like particles in acute gastroenteritis of adults is questionable since the particles can be found in faeces of diseased persons and of healthy adults with equal frequency.