Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Nov;170(11):1413-8.
doi: 10.1007/s00431-011-1443-4. Epub 2011 Apr 5.

Noroviruses in children seen in a hospital for acute gastroenteritis in Finland

Sirpa Räsänen  1 , Suvi Lappalainen, Marjo Salminen, Leena Huhti, Timo Vesikari
Affiliations

Noroviruses in children seen in a hospital for acute gastroenteritis in Finland

Sirpa Räsänen et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2011 Nov.

Abstract

Noroviruses (NoVs) are second only to rotaviruses (RVs) as causative agents of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children. The proportional role of NoVs is likely to increase after control of RV by vaccination. We investigated NoVs in children seen in Tampere University Hospital either treated as outpatients or hospitalized because of AGE before universal RV vaccination was implemented in Finland. This prospective study was conducted from September 2006 to August 2008. A total of 1,128 children <15 years of age with symptoms of AGE were enrolled either in the hospital clinic or in a ward, and stool samples for NoV studies were obtained from 759 children. NoVs were found in 196 (26%) cases. In the first year, NoVs were found in 116 (34%) out of 341, and in the second year, in 80 (19%) out of 418 cases. RVs were found respectively in 128 (38%) and 260 (62%) cases in these two seasons. Both RV and NoV were present in 24 cases. NoV genotype GII.4 predominated with a 96% share of the NoV cases in the first season and an 80% share in the second season. Other NoV genotypes seen infrequently were GII.7, GIIb, GI.6, GII.1, GII.2, and GIIc. The median clinical severity of NoV AGE was 14 compared to 16 for RV AGE on a 20-point scale.

Conclusion: NoVs were nearly as common as RVs as causative agents of severe AGE in children seen in hospital. After implementing universal RV vaccination, the importance of NoVs will still increase further.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Age distribution of children seen in Tampere University Hospital because of norovirus and sapovirus gastroenteritis in September 2006–August 2008
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Seasonality of the noroviruses seen in acute gastroenteritis in children (September 2006–August 2008) in Tampere University Hospital
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Severity of clinical symptoms of acute gastroenteritis caused either by norovirus (n = 79) or rotavirus (n = 196) (September 2006–August 2008). Severity is assessed with a 20-point scale in which ≥11 points is considered as severe
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Atmar RL, Estes MK. The epidemiologic and clinical importance of norovirus infection. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2006;35:275–290. doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2006.03.001. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Farkas T, Zhong WM, Jing Y, et al. Genetic diversity among sapoviruses. Arch Virol. 2004;149:1309–1323. doi: 10.1007/s00705-004-0296-9. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ferreira MSR, Victoria M, Caravalho-Costa FA, et al. Surveillance of norovirus infection in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2005–2008. J Med Virol. 2010;82:1442–1448. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21831. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Froggatt PC, Barry Vipond I, Ashley CR, et al. Surveillance of norovirus infection in a study of sporadic childhood gastroenteritis in South West England and South Wales, during one winter season (1999–2000) J Med Virol. 2004;72:307–311. doi: 10.1002/jmv.10569. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Harada S, Okada M, Yahiro S, et al. Surveillance of pathogens in outpatients with gastroenteritis and characterization of sapovirus strains between 2002 and 2007 in Kumamoto Prefecture. Japan J Med Virol. 2009;81:1117–1127. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21454. - DOI - PubMed