| Research Abstract |
We have been studying on molecular epidemiologies of diarrheal viruses, hepatitis viruses and HIV. We developed first the techniques of multiplex PCR and immunochromatography for detecting diarrheal viruses. We also designed specific primers to determine subtypes of those viruses by PCR. The samples were mainly collected from China, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan. Concerning to rotavirus, serotype 1 was the most predominant in the past, and then decreased suddenly in recent years. Meanwhile serotype 2, 3, 4 and 9 gradually increased. These findings clearly indicate that the serotypes have changed unexpectedly and the possibility of bigger outbreaks of rotavirus infection may occur in the near future. Besides rotavirus, adenovirus 41 was also highly responsible for viral diarrhea. Interestingly, unique subtype of adenovirus 41 was found in each country. Norovirus infections were identified in a wide range of these subjects in which Lordsdale strain of norovirus genogroup II prevailed. The epidemiological data of Norovirus infection in Thailand and Vietnam was firstly reported. Hepatitis B is the burden worldwide, especially in the developing countries. We studied the molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus in 10 countries. Our results underscore that the variants especially a deletion of pre S region play an important role in causing cirrhosis and liver cancer. Many questions. are still unveiled in HIV/AIDS. We are successful in designed the new primers in order to detect not only subtypes B and E of HIV-1 but also A and C. Taken together, our findings clearly show that data of molecular epidemiology are very necessary and helpful to construct vaccine as well as to set up a possible relation among viruses and environmental factors such as human beings, foods and climates. Based on this point of view, we will conduct our future research continuously
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