Epidemiological study of prevalence of genogroup II human calicivirus (Mexico virus) infections in Japan and Southeast Asia as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

J Clin Microbiol. 1998 Sep;36(9):2481-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.36.9.2481-2484.1998.

Abstract

Mexico virus (MXV) is a genogroup II human calicivirus (HuCV). We conducted an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence of MXV infection in infants and adults in Japan and Southeast Asia by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) developed by using baculovirus-expressed recombinant MXV (rMXV) capsids. Of 155 stool specimens obtained from children younger than 10 years old with acute clinical gastroenteritis (diarrhea and vomiting) associated with small, round-structured viruses in Japan from 1987 to 1989, only 2 were positive for MXV antigen. In 42 outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in Japan from 1986 to 1994, 1 in an infant home and 1 among adults were positive for MXV antigen. The pattern of acquisition of antibody to rMXV was different from that of acquisition of antibody to group A rotavirus, the prototype HuCV Sapporo virus, and Norwalk virus. The prevalence of antibody to rMXV remained low for the first 3 years of life, showed a steep rise during nursery school age, reaching a prevalence of 50%, and another steep rise during adolescence, reaching 80%; and steadily increased thereafter. A high prevalence of antibody (82 to 88%) was observed in adult populations in Japan and Southeast Asia, suggesting that MXV infection is common in these areas. The discrepancy between the high prevalence of antibody to MXV and a low rate of detection of MXV antigen may be explained by a high specificity of the antigen ELISA for the prototype and closely related MXV strains while serological responses can detect responses to a broader group of viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis
  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Asia, Southeastern / epidemiology
  • Caliciviridae / classification*
  • Caliciviridae / genetics*
  • Caliciviridae / isolation & purification
  • Caliciviridae Infections / classification
  • Caliciviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Capsid / biosynthesis
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diarrhea / epidemiology
  • Diarrhea / virology
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
  • Feces / virology
  • Gastroenteritis / epidemiology
  • Gastroenteritis / virology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Transfection
  • Vomiting / epidemiology
  • Vomiting / virology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Recombinant Proteins