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Dynamics of norovirus genotype change and early characterization of variants in children with diarrhea in central Tunisia, 2001–2012

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Abstract

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs), especially GII.4 strains, are a major cause of gastroenteritis epidemics in both children and adults. Stool samples were collected from 113 Tunisian children with acute gastroenteritis in 2001 and 2002 and were retrospectively tested for HuNoVs. Fifteen (13.2%) of the 113 samples were positive for HuNoVs, all of which were genogroup II strains, and the GII.4-2004/Hunter variant was predominant (67%). We reconstituted the temporal circulation of HuNoV strains in central Tunisia between 2003 and 2012 using HuNoV isolates reported in our previous studies. A comparative analysis showed a dynamic change in the molecular profile of the HuNoV strains over a 12-year period. We found that GII.4-2004/Hunter strains were circulating as early as June 2002 and that GIX.1[GII.P15] HuNoVs were already circulating four years before this genotype was first reported in Japan in 2006. Our data suggest that epidemic strains of HuNoV circulate for several years in the pediatric population before becoming predominant. This study suggests that children from low-income countries with poor sanitation may play a significant role in the molecular evolution of noroviruses and the global emergence of new epidemic strains.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mrs. Suzanne Rankin for editorial assistance and Dr. Gaël Belliot for manuscript editing.

Funding

This research was funded by the National Reference Centre for Gastroenteritis Viruses in Dijon, France.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Biological Agents, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia

    Khira Sdiri-Loulizi, Amira Khachou, Hakima Khelifi, Siwar Ayouni, Dalèle Elhani & Mahjoub Aouni

  2. National Reference Centre for Gastroenteritis Viruses, Laboratory of Virology, University Hospital of Dijon, Dijon, France

    Khira Sdiri-Loulizi, Katia Ambert-Balay, Jérôme Kaplon & Alexis de Rougemont

  3. Public Health Regional Laboratory, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia

    Amel Rhim

  4. UMR PAM A 02.102 Procédés Alimentaires et Microbiologiques, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté/AgroSup Dijon, Dijon, France

    Alexis de Rougemont

  5. Centre National de Référence virus des gastro-entérites, Laboratoire de Virologie, Plateforme de Biologie Hospitalo-Universitaire, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 2 rue Angélique Ducoudray, BP37013, 21070, Dijon cedex, France

    Khira Sdiri-Loulizi

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  1. Khira Sdiri-Loulizi
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Correspondence to Khira Sdiri-Loulizi.

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Sdiri-Loulizi, K., Khachou, A., Khelifi, H. et al. Dynamics of norovirus genotype change and early characterization of variants in children with diarrhea in central Tunisia, 2001–2012. Arch Virol 167, 99–107 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05290-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05290-w

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