[Prevalence of human astrovirus serotypes in Shizuoka 1991-96]

A latex agglutination test (LA) for astrovirus types 1-4 detection and typing was used on rotavirus- and adenovirus-negative stool samples from children with diarrhea between 1991 and 1996. Of the 478 samples tested, 30 were identified as astrovirus-positive. Most of the patients with astrovirus infections were under 2 years old. Astrovirus type 1 was the most prevalent serotype; 20/30 (66.7%), followed by type 4 (16.7%), type 3 (13.3%), and type 2 (3.3%). A prevalence of astrovirus-associated diarrhea was observed between January and June each year.