Detection of rotavirus and norovirus in the elderly population of Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from 2010 to 2012
- Autores: Suelen Paesi, Nicole Modena, Mariana Roesch Ely
- Localización: Scientia Medica, ISSN-e 1980-6108, Vol. 25, Nº. 1, 2015
- Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
Aims: Rotavirus (RV) and norovirus (NoV) are the most common cause of diarrhea in children aged less than five years throughout the world. However, RV and NoV have frequently been overlooked as pathogens in elderly individuals. This study examined the frequency of RV and NoV among elderly patients with complaints of diarrhea in the city of Caxias do Sul, southern Brazil.
Methods: Between 2010 and 2012, stool samples from patients aged 60 years or older with acute gastroenteritis treated at a private healthcare center were analyzed, seeking to identify RV and NoV. RV detection was performed by latex agglutination (LA) methods and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). One third of the samples were further tested for NoV by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results: A total of 145 stool samples from patients aged 60 to 105 years were analyzed. RV was detected in 6/145 (4.14%) and 5/125 (4.00%) of the samples by LA and PAGE, respectively. NoV was detected in 6/51 (11.76%). Mixed infection (RV and NoV) was detected in a single sample: 1/51 (1.96%).
Conclusions: This study adds further evidence that viral agents are involved in the etiology of gastroenteritis in the elderly, contributing significantly to the understanding of RV and NoV infections in the mature population.
