PLoS ONE (Jan 2013)

Serotype diversity of astroviruses in Rawalpindi, Pakistan during 2009-2010.

  • Muhammad Masroor Alam,
  • Adnan Khurshid,
  • Muhammad Suleman Rana,
  • Shahzad Shaukat,
  • Salmaan Sharif,
  • Mehar Angez,
  • Muhammad Naeem,
  • Syed Sohail Zahoor Zaidi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0061667
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 4
p. e61667

Abstract

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Astroviruses are globally known enteropathogens causing gastroenteritis and diarrhea, with eight well defined serotypes. Epidemiological studies have recognized serotype-1 as the most common subtype but no such data is available in Pakistan. During 2009-2010, we found astroviruses in 41 out of 535 (7%) samples collected from hospitalized children. Thirty one strains belonged to serotype-1 and clustered into two distinct lineages. Serotype-3, -4 and -6 were detected with 97-98% genetic homology to Indian and Chinese strains.