An increasing trend of human sapovirus infection in Japan, 2009 to 2019: An emerging public health concern.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Human sapovirus (SaV) is an important etiologic agent of childhood diarrhea. This study aims to investigate the burden of SaV infection in childhood diarrhea in Japan from 2009-2019, to understand the changes in SaV infection after the introduction of rotavirus (RV) vaccination in Japan in 2011.

METHODS:

Stool samples were collected from children aged ≤ 12 years old with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) who visited outpatient clinics of six prefectures in Japan. The viral RNA was detected by RT-PCR and genogroups and genotypes were determined through sequence-based analysis.

RESULTS:

Among 5697 stool samples, 318 (5.6%) samples remained SaV-positives showing the highest prevalence in June and 12-24 month aged children. The most predominant genotype was GI.1 (56.8%), followed by GI.2 (19.2%), GII.1 (10.8%), GIV.1 (9.4%), GI.3 (1.7%), GII.2 (1.4%), GII.3 and GII.5 (0.3%). Importantly, an increasing trend (P = 0.016) of SaV infection was observed during this period. In particular, SaV-detection rate was increased significantly (P = 0.033) from 4.3% in pre-rotavirus (RV)-vaccination era to 6.1% in post-RV-vaccination era. We provided evidence that this increase in SaV infection was mainly attributed by coinfections.

CONCLUSIONS:

The upward trend of SaV infection, particularly after the introduction of RV-vaccination, is an emerging concern. Attention should be paid to control this upward trend of SaV infection to ensure maximum benefits of implementation of RV vaccines towards reducing overall childhood diarrhea worldwide.

• Authors: Sheikh Ariful Hoque, Koji Nishimura, Aksara Thongprachum, Pattara Khamrin, Ngan Thi Kim Pham, Mohammad Tajul Islam, Nusrat Khandoker, Shoko Okitsu, Yuko Onda-Shimizu, Shuvra Kanti Dey, Niwat Maneekarn, Takeshi Kobayashi, Satoshi Hayakawa, Hiroshi Ushijima
• Journal: Journal of infection and public health (J Infect Public Health) Vol. 15 Issue 3 Pg. 315-320 (Mar 2022) ISSN: 1876-035X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 35124328 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Aged
• Caliciviridae Infections (epidemiology)
• Child
• Feces
• Genotype
• Humans
• Japan (epidemiology)
• Phylogeny
• Public Health
• Sapovirus (genetics)