Dados do Trabalho

Título

DETECTION AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF SAPOVIRUSES IN SAMPLES FROM GASTROENTERITIS OUTBREAKS IN BRAZIL, 2018 TO 2021

Introdução

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are annually 1.7 billion cases of diarrheal disease worldwide, with 443,832 children under the age of 5 dying from diarrhea, mainly in developing countries. The study of acute diarrhea and its etiological agents is of paramount importance for the implementation of public policies in all countries. After the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine (RVA) in various countries worldwide and the improvement of molecular diagnostic techniques, other viruses have emerged as important causes of acute diarrhea, such as sapoviruses (SaV), often associated with outbreaks and sporadic cases in adults and children. The genetic diversity of SaV has been verified in some global studies, and the need for surveillance is mentioned by different authors. In Brazil, little is known about the prevalence of SaV and its impact on public health.

Objetivo (s)

The objective of this study was to detect and molecularly characterize SaV gastroenteritis outbreaks in samples from the Acute Diarrheal Disease Monitoring Program (PMDDA).

Material e Métodos

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo, Brazil (CEP-CAAE: 51802221.8.0000.0059). Samples from gastroenteritis outbreaks that occurred between 2018 and 2021 were selected, totaling 499 cases. These samples were collected from children and adults in the Southeast, South, and Midwest regions of Brazil. The rRT-PCR technique was used for SaV detection in sample screening, followed by conventional RT-PCR and sequencing of positive samples for genotyping.

Resultados e Conclusão

SaV was detected as follows: 2018 - 7.14% (6/84), 2019 - 5.5% (10/180), 2021 - 3.4% (5/145). In 2020, no SaV was detected in the outbreaks studied. The genotypic variability of SaV was analyzed after partial VP1 sequencing of 57% samples: genogroup GI (GI.1, GI.2), genogroup GII (GII.1, GII.2, GII.5), and genogroup GV (GV.1). GV.1 is a rare genogroup of SaV, especially in Brazil. Six samples were co-infected with Norovirus, which is actually a major gastroenteritis virus. In this study, SaV was detected in 14 outbreaks of children under 5 years old, all from São Paulo state. The identified outbreaks demonstrate the importance of studying SaV and its epidemiology. There is no surveillance system for gastroenteritis caused by SaV in developing countries such as Brazil, leading to underreporting of sporadic cases and outbreaks. Our data suggest the need to implement SaV diagnosis in acute diarrhea monitoring programs.

Palavras Chave

Sapovirus; Acute gastroenteritis; Genotyping; Outbreak