Detection of Aichi virus shedding in a child with enteric and extraintestinal symptoms in Hungary

Aichi virus, genus Kobuvirus, family Picornaviridae, has been proposed as a causative agent of gastroenteritis in human. Although high seroprevalence has been detected, it has been identified in only a few cases. We report detection of Aichi virus in Hungary. A total of 65 stool samples were tested retrospectively, collected from children with diarrhea, by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. One (1.5%) sample from a 3-year-old girl was positive. Besides diarrhea, fever, purulent conjunctivitis and respiratory symptoms were also present at the same time with virus shedding. The genotype A virus, Kobuvirus/human/Szigetvar-HUN298/2000/Hungary (FJ225407), has 96% nucleotide identity to Aichi virus.