Identification of the novel Kawasaki 2014 GII.17 human norovirus strain in Italy, 2015

Euro Surveill. 2015;20(35):30010. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2015.20.35.30010.

Abstract

Surveillance of noroviruses in Italy identified the novel GII.17 human norovirus strain, Kawasaki 2014, in February 2015. This novel strain emerged as a major cause of gastroenteritis in Asia during 2014/15, replacing the pandemic GII.4 norovirus strain Sydney 2012, but being reported only sporadically elsewhere. This novel strain is undergoing fast diversification and continuous monitoring is important to understand the evolution of noroviruses and to implement the future strategies on norovirus vaccines.

Keywords: GII.17; Italy; epidemiology; gastroenteritis; norovirus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Caliciviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Caliciviridae Infections / virology*
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / genetics
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / virology*
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Female
  • Gastroenteritis / epidemiology
  • Gastroenteritis / virology*
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Norovirus / classification*
  • Norovirus / genetics*
  • Norovirus / isolation & purification
  • Phylogeny
  • Population Surveillance
  • Seasons
  • Sequence Analysis

Substances

  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases