Identification of Human Astrovirus Infections from Stool Samples with Diarrhea in Korea

Human astrovirus (HAstV) infections were confirmed in 17 (1.5%) of 1153 children and adults with diarrhea, from different regions of Korea, by testing their stool samples by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using primers targeted to partial ORF 1a. Genotypes of isolates were determined by sequencing the 289-bp PCR products. The predominant genotype was HAstV type 1, with intragenotypic variation of 0.7%. Unlike Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs), rotavirus and enteric adenovirus, no data on HAstV have been reported in association with diarrhea in Korea. The incidence of HAstV infection reported in this study indicates that HAstV is one of the viral agents causing gastroenteritis in Korea, and that a continuous molecular epidemiological study of HAstV infection is required.