Study of Cosavirus, Salivirus, and Bufavirus viruses in children with acute gastroenteritis

Abstract Background Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children represents a health problem. Besides common enteric viruses such as rotavirus and adenovirus, new viruses such as cosavirus, salivirus, and bufavirus may be associated with AGE. The objective of the study was to detect cosavirus, salivirus, and bufavirus viruses in children below 5 years with acute gastroenteritis by the use of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) besides detection of rotavirus and adenovirus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Method The study included 150 children ≤ 5 years with community-acquired diarrhea. Stool samples from children were subjected for the detection of rotavirus and adenovirus antigens by ELISA and for detection of buvavirus, salivirus, and cosavirus by real-time PCR. Results The commonest virus detected in the stool samples of children with AGE was rotavirus 31.3% followed by adenovirus 24%. Among the new viruses studied, salivirus was detected in six samples (4.0%), buvavirus was detected in four samples (2.7%), and cosavirus was detected in two samples (1.3%). The mixed rotavirus detection with studied viruses was 23.4% for adenovirus, 4.3% for calicivirus, and 2.1% for bocavirus, and none of the detected cosavirus was associated with rotavirus. In the studied children, at least one of the new viruses was detected in ten children (6.7%). Buvavirus, salivirus, and cosavirus were detected as a single virus (0.7%) in the children with acute gastroenteritis and buvavirus was detected with cosavirus without other viruses in one sample (0.7%). Conclusion The study reports the occurrence of buvavirus, cosavirus, and salivirus in the pediatric patients with community-acquired acute gastroenteritis. There was a high prevalence of rotavirus and adenovirus antigens in those patients with low positivity for buvavirus, cosavirus, and salivirus viruses. There is a need for a large cohort study to study the prevalence of buvavirus, cosavirus, and salivirus in pediatrics with acute gastroenteritis and to validate their association with the disease.