Prevalence of sapovirus infection among infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka City, Bangladesh during 2004-2005

Sapovirus, a member of the family Caliciviridae is one of the major causative agents of viral gastroenteritis affecting all age group. Sapovirus was detected in 25 of 917 stool specimens from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis in a Children Hospital in Dhaka City, Bangladesh during 2004-2005. All fecal specimens were examined for sapovirus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Molecular analysis of sapovirus was carried out by sequencing methods. Sapovirus detected in this study was clustered into only one distinct genogroup 1. Sapovirus Gl/1 was predominant, followed by Gl/2 and accounted for 92% (23 of 25) and 8% (2 of 25), respectively. The results clearly indicated that sapovirus infections were observed most commonly in the autumn to winter seasons (September to January) in Dhaka City. The common clinical symptoms of sapovirus infected patients were dehydration (88%), vomiting (76%), and abdominal pain (60%). This is the first report of sapovirus in Bangladesh.