P3: Molecular Epidermiology of Norovirus patient with Acute Gastroenteritis in Northern Gyeonggi Province, South Korea

Norovirus is the most common cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. Norovirus genus is a member of the family Caliciviridae, which is transmitted by food and water or from human to human. Many genotypes of genogroup I and II have been reported, because of high genetic diversity. In this study, a total of 1,689 stool specimens collected from patient with acute gastroenteritis in northern Gyeonggi province of Korea during 2008 were analyzed to characterize the molecular epidermiology of norovirus by using RT-PCR followed by sequencing. Of the 1,689 specimens, norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus and astrovirus were detected in 183 (10.8%), 188 (11.1%), 30 (1.8%) and 3 specimens (0.2%), repectively. The norovirus incidence was found to be the highest in January (28.6%), followed by November (22.1%) and December (20.8%). Norovirus infections were most frequently shown in the < 5 years old (73.8%). Norovirus positive specimens between males and females were 99 (54.1%) and 84 specimens (45.9%). Norovirus GI was detected in 27 specimens (1.6%) and GII in 156 specimens (9.2%). Based on partial sequence of capsid region, norovirus was resolved into 6 genotypes of genogroup I and 7 genotypes of genogroup II. The prevalent genotypes among gastroenteritis patients within the nothern Gyeonggi province were GII.4 (68.9%), GII.3 (13.1%) and GI.11 (7.1%). Continuous monitoring of the genetic diversity of norovirus is important to determine the trend of genotype.