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Sequence Analysis of the Capsid Gene during a Genotype II.4 Dominated Norovirus Season in One University Hospital: Identification of Possible Transmission Routes.

Holzknecht, Barbara Juliane ; Franck, Kristina Træholt ; Nielsen, Rikke Thoft ; Böttiger, Blenda LU ; Fischer, Thea Kølsen and Fonager, Jannik (2015) In PLoS ONE 10(1).
Abstract
Norovirus (NoV) is a leading cause of gastroenteritis and genotype II.4 (GII.4) is responsible for the majority of nosocomial NoV infections. Our objective was to examine whether sequencing of the capsid gene might be a useful tool for the hospital outbreak investigation to define possible transmission routes. All NoV positive samples submitted from one university hospital during the 2007/8 season were selected. Genotyping of selected samples by partial polymerase gene sequencing had shown that the majority belonged to the GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b and had identical polymerase sequences. Sequences of the capsid gene (1412 nucleotides) were obtained from the first available sample from 55 patients. From six immunocompromised patients... (More)
Norovirus (NoV) is a leading cause of gastroenteritis and genotype II.4 (GII.4) is responsible for the majority of nosocomial NoV infections. Our objective was to examine whether sequencing of the capsid gene might be a useful tool for the hospital outbreak investigation to define possible transmission routes. All NoV positive samples submitted from one university hospital during the 2007/8 season were selected. Genotyping of selected samples by partial polymerase gene sequencing had shown that the majority belonged to the GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b and had identical polymerase sequences. Sequences of the capsid gene (1412 nucleotides) were obtained from the first available sample from 55 patients. From six immunocompromised patients with persistent infections a second sample was also included. As a control for a point-source outbreak, five samples from a foodborne outbreak caused by the same GII.4 variant were analyzed. Forty-seven of the inpatients (85%) were infected with the GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b. Phylogenetic analysis of the Den Haag 2006b sequences identified four distinct outbreaks in different departments and a fifth outbreak with possible inter-department spread. In addition, a more heterogeneous cluster with evidence of repeated introductions from the community, but also possible inter-department spread was observed. In all six patients with paired sequences, evidence for in vivo evolution of the virus was found. Capsid gene sequencing showed substantial sequence variation among NoV GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b strains from one single institution during a nine months' period. This method proved useful to understand the local epidemiology and, when used promptly, has the potential to make infection control measures more targeted. (Less)
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Contribution to journal
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published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
10
issue
1
article number
e0115331
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:25590635
  • wos:000350679400003
  • scopus:84921033923
  • pmid:25590635
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0115331
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8e8173c1-36e3-4278-96d8-c69e8295bc51 (old id 5040369)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25590635?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:59:39
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2022-03-06 22:09:25
@article{8e8173c1-36e3-4278-96d8-c69e8295bc51,
  abstract     = {{Norovirus (NoV) is a leading cause of gastroenteritis and genotype II.4 (GII.4) is responsible for the majority of nosocomial NoV infections. Our objective was to examine whether sequencing of the capsid gene might be a useful tool for the hospital outbreak investigation to define possible transmission routes. All NoV positive samples submitted from one university hospital during the 2007/8 season were selected. Genotyping of selected samples by partial polymerase gene sequencing had shown that the majority belonged to the GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b and had identical polymerase sequences. Sequences of the capsid gene (1412 nucleotides) were obtained from the first available sample from 55 patients. From six immunocompromised patients with persistent infections a second sample was also included. As a control for a point-source outbreak, five samples from a foodborne outbreak caused by the same GII.4 variant were analyzed. Forty-seven of the inpatients (85%) were infected with the GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b. Phylogenetic analysis of the Den Haag 2006b sequences identified four distinct outbreaks in different departments and a fifth outbreak with possible inter-department spread. In addition, a more heterogeneous cluster with evidence of repeated introductions from the community, but also possible inter-department spread was observed. In all six patients with paired sequences, evidence for in vivo evolution of the virus was found. Capsid gene sequencing showed substantial sequence variation among NoV GII.4 variant Den Haag 2006b strains from one single institution during a nine months' period. This method proved useful to understand the local epidemiology and, when used promptly, has the potential to make infection control measures more targeted.}},
  author       = {{Holzknecht, Barbara Juliane and Franck, Kristina Træholt and Nielsen, Rikke Thoft and Böttiger, Blenda and Fischer, Thea Kølsen and Fonager, Jannik}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Sequence Analysis of the Capsid Gene during a Genotype II.4 Dominated Norovirus Season in One University Hospital: Identification of Possible Transmission Routes.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4288817/7753192}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0115331}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}