Abstract
Since the unexpected discovery of picobirnaviruses (PBV) in 1988, they have been reported in many animals including mammals and birds, which comprises both terrestrial and marine species. Due to their divergent characteristics to other viral taxa they are classified into a new family Picobirnaviridae. Although their pathogenicity and role in causing diarrhea still remains a question since they have been discovered in symptomatic and asymptomatic cases both. Recent studies employing state-of-art molecular tools have described their presence in various clinical samples, like stool samples from different mammals and birds, respiratory tracts of pigs and humans, sewage water, different foods, etc. Furthermore, their epidemiological status from different parts of the world in different hosts has also increased. Due to their diverse host and irregular host pattern their role in causing diarrhea remains alien. The heterogeneity nature can be ascribed to segmented genome of PBV, which renders them prone to continuous reassortment. Studies have been hampered on PBVs due to their non-adaptability to cell culture system. Here, we describe the molecular epidemiological data on PBVs in India and discusses the overall status of surveillance studies carried out till date in India.
Highlights
Picobirnavirus (PBV) is connected with acute gastroenteritis cases in humans as well as animals. They were identified as birna-like viruses in 1988, its pathobiology is still uncertain. Viruses of this group remained in unclaimed virus family until 2009 when PBVs were recognized distinctly as members of the family Picobirnaviridae possessing double stranded bi-segmented RNA genome with human picobirnavirus as prototype species
Information gathered as of on the epidemiology of PBVs rely primarily on the detection of viral dsRNA by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE), electron microscopy or reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) detection assay based on two pairs of primers targeting the genomic segment 2 of PBV strains viz.; “4-GA-91” and “1-CHN-97”
Since their emergence in 1988, picobirnaviruses have established themselves as cause of great concern worldwide
Summary
Picobirnavirus (PBV) is connected with acute gastroenteritis cases in humans as well as animals. They were identified as birna-like viruses in 1988, its pathobiology is still uncertain. Viruses of this group remained in unclaimed virus family until 2009 when PBVs were recognized distinctly as members of the family Picobirnaviridae possessing double stranded bi-segmented RNA genome with human picobirnavirus as prototype species. PBV has not been established yet as an etiological agent of diarrhea Rather these are more often isolated as co-infecting agents with a number of diarrheal causes indicating their role in synergistic effect in association with the primary enteric cause. PBVs have been shown to cause gastroenteritis in immune-compromised individuals suggesting that immune status of the host plays an important role in establishing PBV infection as an opportunistic pathogen [5 - 8]
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