BACKGROUND: Viruses that cause acute respiratory infection include adenovirus (ADV), respiratory syncytial virus A and B (RSV(A), RSV(B)), influenza virus A and B (FluA, FluB), parainfluenza virus 1, 2 and 3 (PIV1, PIV2, PIV3), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), human coronavirus (hCoV), human rhinovirus (hRV), and enterovirus, among others. METHODS: Viral incidence was evaluated in acute respiratory patients in Seoul, Korea from 2010 to 2012. A total of 2,544 oropharyngeal swab specimens were tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. RNA viruses (hRV, PIV, RSV, hCoV, and hMPV) and DNA viruses (ADV and bocavirus) were detected using the one-step reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) premix kit (SolGent, Korea) from January 2010 to June 2011, and using the real-time PCR kit (Kogenebiotech, Korea) from July 2011 to December 2012. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent (813/2,544) of specimens were positive; 31.9% (294/923) in 2010, 31.4% (232/738) in 2011, and 32.5% (287/883) in 2012. The most frequently isolated virus was hRV (40.7%, 331/813), followed by ADV (23.9%, 194/813), RSV (14.1%, 115/813), PIV (12.3%, 100/813), and hCoV (8.7%, 71/813). PIV1 was the most commonly isolated PIV, followed by PIV3 and PIV2, respectively. hCo OC43 was the most commonly isolated hCoV, followed by hCoV NL63 and hCoV 229E, respectively. CONCLUSION: Information on respiratory viruses circulating in Seoul, Korea over the last three years will be helpful in the management of acute respiratory infections, and for larger-scale epidemiological studies.

For our survey of the infection frequency and mixed infection of the viruses causing acute respiratory syndromes, we analyzed those viruses from acute respiratory patients in Seoul. Total 1,038 specimens of oropharyngeal swab were tested by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit (Kogenebiotech, Korea) from Jan. to Dec. in 2013. Virus detection rate causing acute respiratory infection was 46% (476/1,038). The most frequently isolated virus was only hRV (21.6%, 103/476), followed by only ADV (8.96%, 93/476), only IFV A (H3N2) (18.1%, 86/476), and only hCoV (7.8%, 37/476) etc. Most of acute respiratory viruses had severe fever. Infection frequency information and mixed infection status on respiratory viruses circulating in Seoul will be helpful for the management of acute respiratory infection and for epidemiological continuous studies.
Coinfection* ; Fever ; Humans ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seoul

The prevalence of human astroviruses was tested in patients with acute gastroenteritis by using conventional duplex reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and electrophoresis. Diarrheal fecal samples were collected from 9,597 patients at local hospitals in Seoul. The prevalence of astroviruses was 1.0% (94/9,597 patients; mostly infants), and that of sapoviruses was 0.1% (14/9,597 patients). Age- and gender-wise analyses were carried out on 29 astrovirus-positive patients having complete information on file regarding their age, gender, and other particulars. The results were higher in patients of ages 0 to 14 yr, and 69.0% of the astrovirus-positive patients were females, of which 69.2% were infants (0 to 12 months), and 61.5% were 1-4 yr old. Notably, in the case of 5 to 78-yr-old acute gastroenteritis patients, 100% were females.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Astroviridae Infections/complications/*epidemiology/virology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Viral/analysis ; Feces/virology ; Female ; Gastroenteritis/complications/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mamastrovirus/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sapovirus/genetics/isolation & purification ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult