Prevalence and molecular detection of enteric viruses among elderly patients with and without acute gastroenteritis in Babylon City, Iraq

Background: This study was conducted to find out the extent of the presence of mixed viral infections in Middle and elderly people with and without acute enteritis. Methods: A total of 100 stool samples were collected. 50 samples, which were collected from people with severe gastroenteritis, as well as the 50 samples from non-infected individuals.. Samples were taken from elderly persons whose ages were equal to or over 45 years for both sexes. These samples have been collected from several separate places in the countryside and city of Babil Governorate, during a period of time that extended from October 2019 to April 2020. The types of viruses present in the sample were detected using a rapid examination kit; 30 samples were positive for rotavirus and Adenovirus. A variety of infections were obtained within the group of infected patients, where the age group 45-49 was the most infected. Then, the sample was prepared by making several treatments for the purpose of performing the PCR molecular test. several treatments for the purpose of performing the PCR molecular test. Results: The results of this test indicated that 15 samples (30%) contained Astrovirus, 7 samples (14%) contained Norovirus, and 10 samples (20%) contained Sapovirus out of the total number of samples. According to the study, the relationship between acute gastroenteritis and gender revealed that male infection was close to female infection, and there were no significant differences between them . In mixed infection the study demonstrated that the number of samples infected with Rota, Adeno, and Astro viruses was 4 positive samples, while the number of samples containing Rota Adeno, and noro is only one positive sample is the same as the number of samples containing only Astrovirus and Norovirus that were recorded as a result of acute enteritis. Conclusion: The results also indicated that three coinfection-positive samples of rotavirus, adenovirus, and sapovirus as tested by the Rapid test and PCR technique.