Detection and genotyping of human adenovirus and sapovirus in children with acute gastroenteritis in Belem, Para, between 1990 and 1992: first detection of GI.7 and GV.2 sapoviruses in Brazil

Introduction: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality, especially among children from developing countries. Human adenovirus (HAdV) and sapovirus (SaV) are among the agents that cause AGE. The present study aimed to detect and genotype HAdV and SaV in 172 fecal samples from children with AGE, collected during a surveillance study carried out in a low-income community in Belem, Para, between 1990 and 1992. Methods: HAdV was detected by nested PCR, using primers Hex1deg/Hex2deg and NeHex3deg/NeHex4deg. SaV was assayed by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), nested PCR, and quantitative PCR. The nucleotide sequence was determined by direct cycle sequencing. Results: Overall, 43% (74/172) of samples were positive for HAdV, of which 70.3% (52/74) were sequenced and classified as belonging to five different species, mostly A and F. For SaV, positivity was 5.2% (9/172) and genotypes GI.1, GI.7, GII.1, and GV.2 were detected. Conclusions: The present results reinforce the need for further studies to obtain epidemiological data about the circulation of these viruses in Brazil, especially in the Amazon Region, where data from the early 1990's are scarce. Furthermore, the study describes for the first time the detection of SaV genotypes GI.7 and GV.2 in Brazil, showing that these types circulated in the region more than 25 years ago.