Astrovirus Research: Essential Ideas, Everyday Impacts, Future Directions

194 Pages·2013·3.652 MB·English

by  Albert Bosch Ph.D., Susana Guix Ph.D., Rosa M. Pintó Ph.D. (auth.), Stacey Schultz-Cherry (eds.)

Astrovirus Research

Stacey Schultz-Cherry
Editor
Astrovirus Research
Essential Ideas, Everyday Impacts,
Future Directions
Editor
Stacey Schultz-Cherry
Infectious Diseases
St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Memphis , Tennessee, USA
ISBN 978-1-4614-4734-4 ISBN 978-1-4614-4735-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-4735-1
Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012947401
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of
the material is concerned, speci fi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,
broadcasting, reproduction on micro fi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information
storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection
with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied speci fi cally for the purpose of being entered and
executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this
publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s
location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions
for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to
prosecution under the respective Copyright Law.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a speci fi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of
publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for
any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with
respect to the material contained herein.
Printed on acid-free paper
Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
This book is dedicated to the memory of
Ernesto Méndez, who left us in November
2011. Ernesto was a pioneer in the study of
astroviruses and he will be missed by the
entire fi eld. His early departure left many
un fi nished projects, and for those of us who
had the good fortune to know him, left a
space that will be impossible to fi ll. He will
also be remembered for his happiness and
devotion to science and life, for his endless
patience, and for his passion for teaching.

Preface
Since the discovery of astroviruses in 1975, the astrovirus fi eld has continued to
make new and exciting discoveries. Although typically overshadowed by other
enteric viruses like rotavirus and norovirus, astroviruses are increasingly recog-
nized as a major source for outbreaks of gastroenteritis and diarrhea in animals,
including humans and birds worldwide. In the past several years, there has been a
rapid increase in the number of astroviruses detected across diverse species with
increasing evidences that astroviruses likely cross species barrier and may be
zoonotic. In spite of this increase in our knowledge, much work remains on under-
standing the basic virology, epidemiology, immunology, and pathogenesis of this
varied group of viruses. One of the most pressing needs given the increasing viral
diversity is a uni fi ed naming system that accounts for the species and genogroup of
newly isolated viral strains. This and developing good diagnostic tools to under-
stand the prevalence of astroviruses in nature will continue to move the fi e ld for-
ward and increase our understanding of this fairly understudied, but interesting,
group of viruses.
Memphis, TN, USA Stacey Schultz-Cherry
vii

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Mr. Michael Wilt, developmental editor, for his
hard work and assistance. The book would not have happened without him. We also
gratefully acknowledge all of our colleagues and laboratory members for their
efforts through the years.
ix