Prevalence of human cosavirus and saffold virus with an emergence of saffold virus genotype 6 in patients hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2014–2016

Human cosavirus and saffold virus are both newly discovered members of the Picornaviridae family. It has been suggested that these viruses may be the causative agents of acute gastroenteritis. In this study, 1093 stool samples collected from patients with acute gastroenteritis between January 2014 and December 2016, were screened for cosavirus and saffold virus using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The viral genotypes were then established via nucleotide sequencing. Here, cosavirus was detected in 16 of 1093 stool samples (1.5%) and saffold virus was detected in 18 of 1093 stool samples (1.6%). The saffold virus genotypes 1 (16.7%), 2 (50%) and 6 (33.3%), and the cosavirus genetic groups A (87.5%), C (6.25%) and D (6.25%), were all identified across the three-year study period. Interestingly, saffold virus genotype 6 has now been detected for the first time in Thailand. The present study provides the prevalence of cosavirus and saffold virus with the emergence of saffold virus genotype 6 in Thailand.