Seroprevalence of noroviruses in swine.

Noroviruses (NVs) are important human pathogens that cause acute gastroenteritis. Genetically related animal enteric NVs have also been described, but there is no evidence of interspecies transmission of NVs. In this study we characterized antibody prevalence among domestic pigs by using recombinant capsid antigens of two human NVs (Norwalk and Hawaii) and one swine NV (SW918) that is genetically related to GII human NVs.

Seroepidemiological analysis of influenza pandemics in Shizuoka Prefecture and all Japan.

(1) Seroepidemiological analysis of influenza pandemics (1986-2003) in Shizuoka Prefecture and all Japan revealed differences in geographical, annual, seasonal, and age distributions. (2) For 17 years, the pandemics generally began at the 50th week every year showing over 1.0 patient/clinic, reached the peak at 5th week the following year, and ended over 10-15th week.

Viruses detected in the caecum contents of healthy pigs representing a new genetic cluster in genogroup II of the genus "Norwalk-like viruses".

Viruses of the genus 'Norwalk-like viruses' (NLVs) detected in humans have been genetically classified into two major genetic groups, genogroups I and II (GI and GII), which together are made up of at least 14 genetic subgroups. However, a comparable classification of NLVs in other species remains to be carried out. We sequenced a 2-kb region from within the RNA polymerase gene to the 3' end of open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of two NLV strains previously detected in the caecum contents of healthy pigs.