Detection of Norovirus Variant GII.4 Hong Kong in Asia and Europe, 2017-2019

Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Jan;27(1):289-293. doi: 10.3201/eid2701.203351.

Abstract

We report a new norovirus GII.4 variant, GII.4 Hong Kong, with low-level circulation in 4 Eurasia countries since mid-2017. Amino acid substitutions in key residues on the virus capsid associated with the emergence of pandemic noroviruses suggest that GII.4 Hong Kong has the potential to become the next pandemic variant.

Keywords: Eurasia; Hong Kong; United Kingdom; communicable diseases; enteric infections; gastroenteritis; new variant; norovirus; norovirus GII.4; surveillance; the Netherlands; the Philippines; viruses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Caliciviridae Infections* / epidemiology
  • Europe / epidemiology
  • Gastroenteritis* / epidemiology
  • Genotype
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Norovirus* / genetics
  • Phylogeny