Table 4.1.

Features of causally confirmed human gastroenteritis viruses

Virus	Family	Morphology	Genome	Clinical Severity	Cultivation possible
Rotavirus (Group A)	Reoviridae	100 nm, triple-shelled, wheel-like capsid	Double-stranded segmented RNA	Major cause of severe dehydrating diarrhea in children <5 years of age	Yes
Norovirus	Caliciviridae	27–40 nm, round virus	Positive-sense single-stranded RNA	Epidemics of diarrhea and vomiting in all ages	No
Sapovirus	Caliciviridae	Star of David appearance	Positive-sense single-stranded RNA	Gastroenteritis in children <5 years of age	No
Enteric Adenovirus (Group F)	Adenoviridae	90 nm, icosahedral	Double-stranded DNA	Endemic diarrhea in children <5 years of age	Yes, fastidious
Astrovirus	Astroviridae	28–30 nm with characteristic star on surface	Positive-sense single-stranded RNA	Endemic diarrhea in children, outbreaks possible, role in HIV-related diarrhea	Yes