| 1. |
- Vielot, Nadja A., et al.
(author)
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First Episodes of Norovirus and Sapovirus Gastroenteritis Protect Against Subsequent Episodes in a Nicaraguan Birth Cohort
- 2022
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In: Epidemiology. - 1044-3983 .- 1531-5487. ; 33:5, s. 650-653
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Norovirus and sapovirus cause a large burden of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young children. We assessed protection conferred by norovirus and sapovirus AGE episodes against future episodes.Methods: Between June 2017 and July 2018, we recruited 444 newborns in León, Nicaragua. Weekly household surveys identified AGE episodes over 36 months, and AGE stools were tested by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for norovirus genogroup (G)I/GII and sapovirus. We used recurrent-event Cox models and negative control methods to estimate protection conferred by first episodes, controlling for observed and unobserved risk factors, respectively.Results: Sapovirus episodes conferred a 69% reduced hazard of subsequent episodes using the negative control method. Norovirus GI (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31, 1.3) and GII (HR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.04, 0.44) episodes also appeared highly protective. Protection against norovirus GII was enhanced following two episodes.Conclusions: Evidence of natural immunity in early childhood provides optimism for the future success of pediatric norovirus and sapovirus vaccines.
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| 2. |
- Becker-Dreps, Sylvia, et al.
(author)
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Etiology of Childhood Diarrhea After Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction A Prospective, Population-based Study in Nicaragua
- 2014
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In: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. - : Lippincott, Williams andamp; Wilkins. - 0891-3668 .- 1532-0987. ; 33:11, s. 1156-1163
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Nicaragua was the first developing nation to implement routine immunization with the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5). In this RV5-immunized population, understanding infectious etiologies of childhood diarrhea is necessary to direct diarrhea treatment and prevention efforts. Methods: We followed a population-based sample of children less than5 years in Leon, Nicaragua for diarrhea episodes through household visits. Information was obtained on RV5 history and sociodemographics. Stool samples collected during diarrhea episodes and among healthy children underwent laboratory analysis for viral, bacterial and parasitic enteropathogens. Detection frequency and incidence of each enteropathogen was calculated. Results: The 826 children in the cohort experienced 677 diarrhea episodes during 607.5 child-years of exposure time (1.1 episodes per child-year). At least 1 enteropathogen was detected among 61.1% of the 337 diarrheal stools collected. The most common enteropathogens among diarrheal stools were: norovirus (20.4%), sapovirus (16.6%), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (11.3%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (8.3%), Giardia lamblia (8.0%) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (7.7%), with rotavirus detected among 5.3% of diarrheal stools. Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and enterotoxigenic E. coli were frequently detected among stools from healthy children. Among children with diarrhea, norovirus was more commonly detected among younger children (less than2 years) and G. lamblia was more commonly detected among older children (2-4 years). The mean age of rotavirus detection was 34.6 months. Conclusions: In this Central American community after RV5 introduction, rotavirus was not commonly detected among children with diarrhea. Prevention and appropriate management of norovirus and sapovirus should be considered to further reduce the burden of diarrheal disease.
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| 3. |
- Bucardo, Filemon, et al.
(author)
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Pediatric norovirus GII.4 infections in Nicaragua, 1999-2015
- 2017
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In: Infection, Genetics and Evolution. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 1567-1348 .- 1567-7257. ; 55, s. 305-312
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Investigate clinical and epidemiological factors of pediatric GII.4 norovirus infections in children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in Nicaragua between 1999 and 2015. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed laboratory and epidemiologic data from 1,790 children amp;lt;= 7 years with AGE from 6 hospitals in Nicaragua (n = 538), and 3 community clinics (n = 919) and households (n = 333) in Leon, between 1999 and 2015. Moreover, asymptomatic children from community clinics (n = 162) and households (n = 105) were enrolled. Norovirus was detected by real-time PCR and genotyped by sequencing the N-terminal and shell region of the capsid gene. Results: Norovirus was found in 19% (n = 338) and 12% (n = 32) of children with and without AGE, respectively. In total, 20 genotypes including a tentatively new genotype were detected. Among children with AGE, the most common genotypes were GII.4 (53%), GII.14 (7%), GII.3 (6%) and GI.3 (6%). In contrast, only one (1.4%) GII.4 was found in asymptomatic children. The prevalence of GII.4 infections was significantly higher in children between 7 and 12 months of age. The prevalence of GII.4 was lowest in households (38%), followed by community clinics (50%) and hospitals (75%). Several different GII.4 variants were detected and their emergence followed the global temporal trend. Conclusions: Overall our study found the predominance of pediatric GII.4 norovirus infections in Nicaragua mostly occurring in children between 7 and 12 months of age, implicating GII.4 as the main norovirus vaccine target.
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| 4. |
- Vielot, Nadja Alexandra, et al.
(author)
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Association between breastfeeding, host genetic factors, and calicivirus gastroenteritis in a Nicaraguan birth cohort
- 2022
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In: PLOS ONE. - : PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE. - 1932-6203. ; 17:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Norovirus and sapovirus are important causes of childhood acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Breastfeeding prevents AGE generally; however, it is unknown if breastfeeding prevents AGE caused specifically by norovirus and sapovirus. Methods We investigated the association between breastfeeding and norovirus or sapovirus AGE episodes in a birth cohort. Weekly data on breastfeeding and AGE episodes were captured during the first year of life. Stools were collected from children with AGE and tested by RT-qPCR for norovirus and sapovirus. Time-dependent Cox models estimated associations between weekly breastfeeding and time to first norovirus or sapovirus AGE. Findings From June 2017 to July 2018, 444 newborns were enrolled in the study. In the first year of life, 69 and 34 children experienced a norovirus and a sapovirus episode, respectively. Exclusive breastfeeding lasted a median of 2 weeks, and any breastfeeding lasted a median of 43 weeks. Breastfeeding in the last week did not prevent norovirus (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.62, 1.92) or sapovirus (HR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.21) AGE in a given week, adjusting for household sanitation, consumption of high-risk foods, and mothers and childs histo-blood group phenotypes. Maternal secretor-positive phenotype was protective against norovirus AGE, whereas childs secretor-positive phenotype was a risk factor for norovirus AGE. Interpretation Exclusive breastfeeding in this population was short-lived, and no conclusions could be drawn about its potential to prevent norovirus or sapovirus AGE. Non-exclusive breastfeeding did not prevent norovirus or sapovirus AGE in the first year of life. However, maternal secretor-positive phenotype was associated with a reduced hazard of norovirus AGE.
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| 5. |
- Brewer-Jensen, Paul D., et al.
(author)
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Norovirus Infection in Young Nicaraguan Children Induces Durable and Genotype-Specific Antibody Immunity
- 2022
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In: Viruses. - : MDPI. - 1999-4915. ; 14:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There are significant challenges to the development of a pediatric norovirus vaccine, mainly due to the antigenic diversity among strains infecting young children. Characterizing human norovirus serotypes and understanding norovirus immunity in naive children would provide key information for designing rational vaccine platforms. In this study, 26 Nicaraguan children experiencing their first norovirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) episode during the first 18 months of life were investigated. We used a surrogate neutralization assay that measured antibodies blocking the binding of 13 different norovirus virus-like particles (VLPs) to histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) in pre- and post-infection sera. To assess for asymptomatic norovirus infections, stools from asymptomatic children were collected monthly, screened for norovirus by RT-qPCR and genotyped by sequencing. Seroconversion of an HBGA-blocking antibody matched the infecting genotype in 25 (96%) of the 26 children. A subset of 13 (50%) and 4 (15%) of the 26 children experienced monotypic GII and GI seroconversion, respectively, strongly suggesting a type-specific response in naive children, and 9 (35%) showed multitypic seroconversion. The most frequent pairing in multitypic seroconversion (8/12) were GII.4 Sydney and GII.12 noroviruses, both co-circulating at the time. Blocking antibody titers to these two genotypes did not correlate with each other, suggesting multiple exposure rather than cross-reactivity between genotypes. In addition, GII titers remained consistent for at least 19 months post-infection, demonstrating durable immunity. In conclusion, the first natural norovirus gastroenteritis episodes in these young children were dominated by a limited number of genotypes and induced responses of antibodies blocking binding of norovirus VLPs in a genotype-specific manner, suggesting that an effective pediatric norovirus vaccine likely needs to be multivalent and include globally dominant genotypes. The duration of protection from natural infections provides optimism for pediatric norovirus vaccines administered early in life.
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| 6. |
- Reyes, Yaoska, et al.
(author)
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Secretor Status Strongly Influences the Incidence of Symptomatic Norovirus Infection in a Genotype-Dependent Manner in a Nicaraguan Birth Cohort
- 2022
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In: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC. - 0022-1899 .- 1537-6613. ; 225:1, s. 105-115
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. The role of histo-blood group on the burden and severity of norovirus gastroenteritis in young infants has not been well documented. Methods. Norovirus gastroenteritis was assessed in 443 Nicaraguan children followed from birth until 3 years of age. Stool samples were tested for norovirus by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) were determined by phenotyping of saliva and blood. Hazard ratios and predictors of norovirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outcome stratified by HBGA were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results. Of 1353 AGE episodes experienced by children, 229 (17%) tested positive for norovirus with an overall incidence of 21.9/100 child-years. Secretor children were infected as early as 2 months of age and had a higher incidence of norovirus GII compared to nonsecretor children (15.4 vs 4.1/100 child-years, P = .006). Furthermore, all GII.4 AGE episodes occurred in secretor children. Children infected with GI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.09 [95% confidence interval {CI}, .02-.33]) or non-GII.4 viruses (aOR, 0.2 [95% CI, .07-.6]) were less likely to have severe AGE compared to GII.4-infected children. Conclusions. Secretor status in children strongly influences the incidence of symptomatic norovirus infection in a genogroup or genotype-dependent manner and provides evidence that clinical severity in children depends on norovirus genotypes.
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