Gastroenteritis agudas y virus entéricos: impacto de la detección de norovirus / Acute gastroenteritis and enteric viruses: Impact on the detection of norovirus

Introducción: El norovirus es el segundo agente causal de las gastroenteritis agudas víricas en niños después del rotavirus. Su prevalencia está subestimada debido a que no se realiza habitualmente un diagnóstico específico. El estudio de los diagnósticos microbiológicos, realizados antes y después de la fecha de implantación de un test de detección de un microorganismo concreto, permite estimar el porcentaje de casos no diagnosticados con anterioridad (por la no implantación) y los que se dejarían de diagnosticar en caso de su supresión. En este artículo estudiamos la epidemiología de las gastroenteritis agudas por virus antes y después de la implantación del test CerTest Norovirus GI+GII. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional de cohortes retrospectivo realizado en pacientes menores de 15 años con gastroenteritis aguda desde enero de 2013 hasta abril de 2015. Se dividió la muestra en 2 grupos; en el primero la búsqueda se limitó a adenovirus y rotavirus y en el segundo la determinación de norovirus se incorporó al diagnóstico sistemático. Se incluyó a 604 pacientes, 313 en el primer grupo y 291 en el segundo. Resultados: Las características demográficas fueron similares en ambos grupos. Se identificaron 58/313 (18,5%) virus entéricos en el primer grupo y 97/291 (33,3%) en el segundo. Del segundo grupo 31 muestras fueron positivas para norovirus, siendo 12 (4,1%) positivas exclusivamente para norovirus. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las características clínicas de los virus intestinales. Conclusiones: Se observó un aumento real del 4,1% en el porcentaje de casos con agente etiológico identificado al implementar la técnica diagnóstica CerTest Norovirus GI+GII. El rotavirus sigue siendo la causa más frecuente de gastroenteritis aguda en nuestro medio, seguido de cerca por el norovirus (AU)

Introduction: Norovirus is the second cause of acute viral gastroenteritis in infants after rotavirus. However, its prevalence is underestimated because a specific diagnosis is not usually performed. The comparative study of microbiological diagnostics, performed before and after the implementation date of a test for detecting a particular microorganism, allows the estimation of the percentage of cases not properly diagnosed earlier (for non-implementation of the test) and those that would be left to diagnose if the test is removed. In this paper we study the epidemiology of acute gastroenteritis virus before and after the implantation of the Norovirus GI+GII CerTest. Material and methods: An observational retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients under 15 years old with acute gastroenteritis, from January 2013 to April 2015. The sample was divided into two groups. In the first group, the search was limited to adenovirus and rotavirus, and in the second one, the determination of norovirus became part of the systematic diagnosis. The study included 604 patients, 313 in the first group and 291 in the second one. Results: Demographic characteristics were similar in both groups. In the first group, 58/313 (18.5%) enteric viruses were identified and in the second group, 97/291 (33.3%). In the second group, 31 positive cases for norovirus were identified, but only 12 (4.1%) of them were positive exclusively for this virus. No significant differences were found in clinical features of intestinal viruses. Conclusions: An actual increase of 4.1% was observed in the cases with an identified aetiological agent after implementing the Norovirus GI+GII CerTest diagnostic technique. The most common cause of acute gastroenteritis is rotavirus, closely followed by norovirus (AU)

[Acute gastroenteritis and enteric viruses: Impact on the detection of norovirus]. / Gastroenteritis agudas y virus entéricos: impacto de la detección de norovirus.

INTRODUCTION: Norovirus is the second cause of acute viral gastroenteritis in infants after rotavirus. However, its prevalence is underestimated because a specific diagnosis is not usually performed. The comparative study of microbiological diagnostics, performed before and after the implementation date of a test for detecting a particular microorganism, allows the estimation of the percentage of cases not properly diagnosed earlier (for non-implementation of the test) and those that would be left to diagnose if the test is removed. In this paper we study the epidemiology of acute gastroenteritis virus before and after the implantation of the Norovirus GI+GII CerTest. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients under 15 years old with acute gastroenteritis, from January 2013 to April 2015. The sample was divided into two groups. In the first group, the search was limited to adenovirus and rotavirus, and in the second one, the determination of norovirus became part of the systematic diagnosis. The study included 604 patients, 313 in the first group and 291 in the second one. RESULTS: Demographic characteristics were similar in both groups. In the first group, 58/313 (18.5%) enteric viruses were identified and in the second group, 97/291 (33.3%). In the second group, 31 positive cases for norovirus were identified, but only 12 (4.1%) of them were positive exclusively for this virus. No significant differences were found in clinical features of intestinal viruses. CONCLUSIONS: An actual increase of 4.1% was observed in the cases with an identified aetiological agent after implementing the Norovirus GI+GII CerTest diagnostic technique. The most common cause of acute gastroenteritis is rotavirus, closely followed by norovirus.