Background: Norovirus is the major cause of nonbacterial epidemic gastroenteritis, being highly prevalent in both developing and developed countries. Despite of the available monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for different sub-genogroups, a comprehensive epitope analysis based on various bioinformatics technology is highly desired for future potential antibody development in clinical diagonosis and treatment. Methods: A total of 18 full-length human norovirus capsid protein sequences were downloaded from GenBank. Protein modeling was performed with program Modeller 9.9. The modeled 3D structures of capsid protein of norovirus were submitted to the protein antigen spatial epitope prediction webserver (SEPPA) for predicting the possible spatial epitopes with the default threshold. The results were processed using the Biosoftware. Results: Compared with GI, we found that the GII genogroup had four deletions and two special insertions in the VP1 region. The predicted conformational epitope regions mainly concentrated on N-terminal (1~96), Middle Part (298~305, 355~375) and C-terminal (560~570). We find two common epitope regions on sequences for GI and GII genogroup, and also found an exclusive epitope region for GII genogroup. Conclusions: The predicted conformational epitope regions of norovirus VP1 mainly concentrated on N-terminal, Middle Part and C-terminal. We find two common epitope regions on sequences for GI and GII genogroup, and also found an exclusive epitope region for GII genogroup. The overlapping with experimental epitopes indicates the important role of latest computational technologies. With the fast development of computational immunology tools, the bioinformatics pipeline will be more and more critical to vaccine design.

Norovirus (NoV) has been recognized as the leading cause of both outbreaks and sporadic cases of acute gastroenteritis in children and adults worldwide. Stool samples collected from outpatients with clinical symptoms of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups at the First People’s Hospital in Huzhou, Huzhou, China between March 2014 and February 2015 were analyzed to gain insight into the epidemiology and genetic variation in NoV strains circulating in China. Real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) was performed for Norovirus detection. RT-PCR were used for genomic amplification and sequencing. Genogroup and genotype were assigned using the NoV Noronet typing tool and the strains were named according to the time of isolation. The phylogenetic analysis was conducted using MEGA 5. Of the 809 specimens, 193 (23.9 %) were positive for NoV, with GII.4 and GII.17 the most commonly identified strains. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of five recombinant strains in Huzhou. Recombinants GII.P13/GII.17 and GII.P12/GII.4 were newly detected in China. The GII.P13/GII.17 recombinant was first identified in October 2014 and steadily replaced GII.Pe/GII.4 (GII.4 Sydney 2012) as the predominant circulating NoV genotype. This is the first report of the detection of GII.17 in the Huzhou area and of a NoV genotype being detected in greater numbers than GII.4. Furthermore, our results indicated that following the emergence of GII.17 in October 2014, it steadily replaced the previous circulating GII.4 Sydney2012 strain, which was the dominant circulating genotype for the past 2 years. As norovirus are the important cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis, continuous and comprehensive study of the norovirus strains involved in large and cost-effective acute gastroenteritis would help understanding the molecular epidemiology of norovirus infections and development of improved prevention and control measures.

Minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) are both alternatives for PCNL to treat renal calculi. This study is aimed at comparing the stone-free rate (SFR) and other surgery parameters of two approaches for treating upper urinary calculi. We performed this meta-analysis in September 2016 by searching studies about mini-PCNL and RIRS for treating upper urinary calculi in various databases, and RevMan v.5.3 was applied. Three randomized controlled trials and ten nonrandomized trials were included, involving a total of 1317 patients. Meta-analysis showed that mini-PCNL group led to a higher SFR [odds ratio: 1.96; 95% confidence interval: 1.46–2.64; P<0.00001] but brought a larger postoperative decrease in hemoglobin levels compared with RIRS. RIRS provided a shorter hospital time. There was no significant difference in operation time. Higher postoperative complications were detected in the mini-PCNL, but the difference was not significant. Grade I and III complications did not vary between two procedures, but grade II complications were of lower incidence in RIRS group. In the light of these results, compared with RIRS, mini-PCNL provided significantly higher SFR and efficiency quotient for managing calculi; however, it resulted in higher incidence of postoperative complications, larger hemoglobin drops, and longer hospital stay.

During our surveillance period, we found a new type of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) with serotype O10:K4, which had increased over the past 2 years in Huzhou and became the second most common serotype after O3:K6. Strains were isolated from stool samples of diarrhea patients in the First People's Hospital in Huzhou. The serotypes, virulence-associated genes, antimicrobial susceptibility, and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of these strains were analyzed. Between January 2017 and December 2021, there were 598 (5.36%) V. parahaemolyticus-positive samples of 11,166 stool specimens. The V. parahaemolyticus detection rate was high in summer months. The O3:K6 was the dominant serotype in 2017-2020 and a new serotype, O10:K4, was the predominant serotype in 2021. The majority of isolates tested were resistant to ampicillin (86.8%). We randomly chose the strains with serotype O3:K6 and O10:K4 for PFGE to compare the genetic relationship between these two serotypes. The results showed that the PFGE profiles of V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 and O10:K4 were genetically similar. The strains showed a tendency to cluster on the basis of their serotype profiles. However, some O3:K6 strains showed 100% similarity with O10:K4 strains. A new serotype with pandemic potential of V. parahaemolyticus, O10:K4, was detected in 2020 and became dominant in 2021 in Huzhou.

Norovirus is an important causative agent of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, affecting people of all ages. Stool samples collected from patients with clinical symptoms of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups at the diarrhea outpatient department of the First People's Hospital in Huzhou were analyzed to gain insight into the prevalence and genetic characteristics of norovirus. From January to December 2018, a total of 551 specimens were screened for norovirus by real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). RT‐PCR was used for genomic amplification and sequencing of the RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase and capsid gene of the positive samples. Genotypes of norovirus were assigned using the norovirus Noronet typing tool and phylogenetic analysis. About 100 (18.1%) specimens were identified as norovirus positive. GII genogroup was the main genogroup identified (83.0%; 83/100). About 42 (42.0%) samples were successfully sequenced and genotyped by RT‐PCR. Since one of the samples was dual infection, so we got 43 virus finally. Nine norovirus GII genotypes and four norovirus GI genotypes were detected in Huzhou during our research period. The main two norovirus GII genotypes were GII.2[P16] (54.8%; 23/43) and GII.17[P17] (11.9%; 5/43). We characterized the molecular epidemiology of norovirus infection in acute gastroenteritis patients during 2018. GII genogroup was the main genogroup identified. The dominance norovirus genotype circulating in the population of Huzhou was GII.2[P16] in 2018.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is one of the important pathogens in infant respiratory tract infection. However, the molecular epidemiology of hMPV among children < 14 years of age hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) is unclear. We investigated the hMPV infection status and genotypes of children hospitalized with SARI from January 2016 to December 2020 in Huzhou, China. Methods: A nasopharyngeal flocked swab, nasal wash, or nasopharyngeal swab/or opharyngeal swab combination sample was collected from children with SARI in Huzhou from January 2016 to December 2020. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect hMPV RNA. The hMPV F gene was amplified and sequenced, followed by analysis using MEGA software (ver. 7.0). Epidemiological data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and SPSS (ver. 22.0) software. Results: A total of 1133 children with SARI were recruited from 2016 to 2020. Among them, 56 (4.94%) were positive for hMPV-RNA. Children < 5 years of age accounted for 85.71% of the positive cases. The hMPV incidence was high in spring and winter, especially in December and January to March. Phylogenetic analysis of the F-gene sequences of 28 hMPV strains showed that the A1, B1, and B2 genotypes were prevalent in Huzhou, and the dominant hMPV genotype varied according to surveillance year. Conclusions: HMPV is an important respiratory pathogen in children in Huzhou, with a high incidence in winter and spring in children < 5 years of age. In this study, genotypes A1, B1, and B2 were the most prevalent.