Identification of picobirnavirus from faeces of Italian children suffering from acute diarrhea
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1Institute of Infectious Pathology and Virology, University of Palermo, Italy.
Insights
Picobirnavirus double-stranded RNA (ds-RNA) was detected in 0.43% of diarrhoeic children. This finding suggests picobirnavirus may be a cause of paediatric diarrhea, as it was not found in healthy children.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Paediatric Gastroenterology
Background:
- Picobirnaviruses are a genus of small, non-enveloped viruses belonging to the family Birnaviridae.
- Their role in human gastroenteritis, particularly in children, remains incompletely understood.
- Detection methods for picobirnavirus in clinical samples are crucial for understanding its epidemiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and potential role of picobirnavirus in diarrhoeic children.
- To differentiate picobirnavirus infection from other enteric pathogens.
- To establish a baseline prevalence in a paediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Nucleic acid was extracted from stool samples of diarrhoeic children and healthy controls.
- Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was used to analyze extracted nucleic acids.
- Electrophoretic patterns characteristic of picobirnavirus double-stranded RNA (ds-RNA) were specifically identified.
Main Results:
- Two electrophoretic bands indicative of picobirnavirus ds-RNA were identified in 3 out of 690 (0.43%) stool samples from diarrhoeic children.
- No similar bands were detected in 92 stool samples from healthy control children.
- No other potential enteric pathogens were identified in the children positive for picobirnavirus.
Conclusions:
- The detection of picobirnavirus ds-RNA in diarrhoeic children, but not in controls, suggests a potential association with paediatric gastroenteritis.
- The absence of other enteric pathogens in infected children strengthens the hypothesis that picobirnavirus may be a causative agent.
- Further research is warranted to confirm the etiological role of picobirnavirus in childhood diarrhoea.
Abstract:
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of nucleic acid extracted from stool samples of diarrhoeic children revealed in 3 out of 690 (0.43%) specimens two electrophoretic bands with a migration pattern characteristic of picobirnavirus ds-RNA. In none of the 92 control children were similar bands detected. No other potential enteric pathogens were found in the patients with picobirnavirus infection.