Epidemiological study of Orthoreovirus infection in patients with respiratory and gastroenteritis symptoms

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21465
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06384 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: National Institute of Infectious Diseases (2021); Osaka Institute of Public Health (2018-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Egawa Kazutaka 国立感染症研究所, ウイルス第三部, 研究員 (10827257)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: オルソレオウイルス / RSウイルス / 疫学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Orthoreovirus infection in humans is caused by Mammalian orthoreovirus (MRV) and Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV). Epidemiological studies of Orthoreovirus infection are not sufficient. We established a multiplex real-time PCR to detect MRV and PRV genes and conducted an epidemiological study of Orthoreovirus infection in Osaka City, Japan. A few patients infected with MRV were found, indicating that MRV may be endemic in Japan. On the other hand, no patient infected with PRV was found, suggesting that PRV is not invasive in Japan.
We conducted a molecular epidemiological analysis of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The genotypes of RSV detected in Osaka City were similar to those of RSV prevalent in Japan. The antigenicity of RSV-B might be diversified.

Free Research Field

疫学研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

オルソレオウイルス感染症患者の報告数は少ないものの、海外ではオルソレオウイルスに対する抗体保有率が調べられ、比較的高い抗体陽性率であることが知られている。オルソレオウイルス感染症患者は、診断されずに見落とされている可能性がある。本研究でオルソレオウイルス感染症の診断にも応用可能なmultiplex real-time PCR法が構築された意義は大きい。また、国内におけるオルソレオウイルス感染症の疫学的知見は、感染リスクを考慮する上で役立つと考える。