Norovirus gastroenteritis among children in Iraqi Kurdistan

Of 260 children under age 5 years who were hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Kurdistan, Iraq, between April and May 2005, 78 (30%) tested positive for norovirus by RT-PCR. These comprised genogroups GI (23%), GII (74%) and GI + GII (3%). Among 28 noroviruses sequenced, GII/4 was the predominant genotype. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.