Diversity of human astrovirus genotypes circulating in children with acute gastroenteritis in Thailand during 2000-2011.

Human astrovirus (HAstV) is one of the causative agents of acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide. The objective of this study was to elucidate the molecular epidemiology and genotypic diversity of HAstV circulating in pediatric patients admitted to hospital with diarrhea in Thailand during the year 2000-2011, except for 2004, 2006, and 2009. A total of 1,022 fecal specimens were tested for HAstV by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). HAstV was detected at 1.4% (14 of 1,022). All HAstV strains detected in this study were characterized further by nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Analysis of 348 bp partial capsid nucleotide sequences revealed that HAstV strains detected were HAstV-1 (1a, 1b, and 1d) (8 strains), HAstV-2 (2c) (3 strains), HAstV-3 (1 strain), and HAstV-5 (2 strains). HAstV-1, the most predominant genotype was detected initially in 2002 and circulated continuously up to 2011. HAstV-2 was detected in year 2001, and 2007 and grouped into a 2c lineage. HAstV-3 was found only in 2000 and HAstV-5 was found in the year 2001. The findings indicate that a wide variety of HAstV strains continue to circulate in children admitted to hospital with acute gastroenteritis in Thailand over a decade. The data provide an epidemiological overview of HAstV infection and HAstV genotype distribution in Thailand.