Abstract
Aichi virus 1 (AiV-1), belonging to the genus Kobuvirus in the family Picornaviridae, has been proposed as a causative agent of human gastroenteritis potentially transmitted by fecal-oral routes through contaminated food or water. AiV-1 is globally distributed and has been detected in various types of environmental samples, such as sewage, river water, groundwater, and shellfish. Recent environmental studies revealed that this virus could be detected in higher frequency and greater abundance than other human enteric viruses. These findings suggest that AiV-1 could potentially be an appropriate indicator of viral contamination in the environment because of its high prevalence in water environments as well as structural and genetic similarity with some of the other important enteric viruses. Further studies on the occurrence and fate of AiV-1 in environments, even in combination with clinical studies of many regions, are needed for a better understanding of their epidemiology, temporal and geographical distribution, environmental stability, and potential health risks to humans.
Highlights
IntroductionThe family Picornaviridae currently consists of 26 recognized genera (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, ICTV; http://www.ictvonline.org/) and contains important human enteric viruses that can cause waterborne infections to humans, such as enteroviruses and hepatitis A virus (Figure 1) [1]
The family Picornaviridae currently consists of 26 recognized genera (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, ICTV; http://www.ictvonline.org/) and contains important human enteric viruses that can cause waterborne infections to humans, such as enteroviruses and hepatitis A virus (Figure 1) [1].Aichi virus 1 (AiV-1), a human enteric virus belonging to the genus Kobuvirus, is a member of the family Picornaviridae [2]
Recent clinical studies have shown that AiV-1 is usually present together with other enteric viruses in fecal samples of gastroenteritis patients [11,20]. These findings suggest: (1) AiV-1 might be circulating without causing any symptoms; (2) AiV-1 could be responsible for a portion of subclinical gastroenteritis infections requiring no medical attention; and/or (3) AiV-1 may contribute to mixed viral infections leading to enteric disease
Summary
The family Picornaviridae currently consists of 26 recognized genera (International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, ICTV; http://www.ictvonline.org/) and contains important human enteric viruses that can cause waterborne infections to humans, such as enteroviruses and hepatitis A virus (Figure 1) [1]. Recent clinical studies have shown that AiV-1 is usually present together with other enteric viruses in fecal samples of gastroenteritis patients [11,20]. These findings suggest: (1) AiV-1 might be circulating without causing any symptoms; (2) AiV-1 could be responsible for a portion of subclinical gastroenteritis infections requiring no medical attention; and/or (3) AiV-1 may contribute to mixed viral infections leading to enteric disease. It has been revealed that AiV-1 is frequently detected in various types of environmental samples, such as sewage, river water, groundwater, and shellfish, suggesting that this virus is an emerging viral pathogen associated with environmental contamination and potentially with water and food borne infections
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