Calicivirus shedding in children after recovery from diarrhoeal disease

Abstract

Background: Human norovirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups. Recent evidence suggests that virus can be shed after resolution of disease symptoms, but little is known about duration of shedding.

Objectives: To investigate the duration of virus shedding in children after diarrhoeal illness.

Study design: We collected regular faecal specimens from 15 children followed prospectively for 18-36 months. To evaluate norovirus infections we conducted two distinct RT-PCR assays, and characterised isolates by sequence analysis.

Results: Norovirus infection was identified in 8 of the 15 children during the study period, with shedding was identified for at least 25 days in 3 children. In one child, virus shedding was detected for up to 100 days.

Conclusion: Human norovirus infections was detected frequently in children. The carriage of norovirus can occur for much longer than previously documented, and this finding shows that the potential for virus transmission within the community is much greater than previously understood.